1) Improved his luck surface area. ("The most important decision a poker player makes is what table they sit at; The number one rule of fishing is to fish where the fish are”). The below are focused on geography, but Franklin made similar pivots beyond where to live:

• If Franklin had not moved from Boston to Philly at 17 we would never heard of him (got him away from a bad situation and to a smaller city with more opportunities for him to make contributions).
• If Franklin had not moved from Philly to London at 50, he would not have been an impactful statesmen (opportunity had dried up for him in Philly, a state faction started turning against him, and he looked at pivots whether to London or moving out west to help start a new colony).
• If Franklin had not left London to hop between US and France in his late 60s, the US might not have secured needed support from France to win the war (all these moves were extremely difficult and emotional decisions; on his last day in London, per friend, “he grew very emotional. The tears in his eyes made it impossible for him to read” ).

2) Started small. A couple key examples Franklin was a part of:

• Started his public service career as a clerk when a position opened up; eventually became a Founding Father
• America's first library started as dozen people (including Franklin) in a small social club sharing books
• University of Pennsylvania started as an academy
• Franklin's passion for electricity yielded no results for many years
• Didn’t rush funding requests with France as America's lead diplomat - Franklin waited for the right time when power on the battlefield led to improved power at the bargaining table (this was a very big deal as US might not have won the war without French funding / support!)

3) Overcame obstacle after obstacle: I had imagined a life with this many accomplishments would be one triumph after another, but I was surprised how many setbacks Franklin had. Here’s a list of some adversities Franklin successfully overcame:

• His older brother managed the family store Franklin worked at and bullied/hit Franklin, leading Franklin to run away from Boston to establish a new life in Philadelphia at 17.
• After decades of contributions to Philadelphia, Franklin ran for a public service position in in the city and came in 13th out of 14th place.
• While representing the US in London during the build-up to the American Revolution, Franklin faced major threats on both sides of the Atlantic (a mob tried to burn down his house in Philly, while he faced a British parliament that accused him for hours and almost sent him to jail).
• Some health issues in his later life (while making titanic contributions to the early US) including having gout, kidney stones, and a twice-dislocated shoulder.

4) Set high standards for himself. A few of many examples:

• In his 20s, Franklin was told he was too argumentative. In response, Franklin set a 3-point standard for himself when he disagreed with someone: 1) acknowledge an aspect of their opinion he agreed with; 2) caveat that he was just sharing his opinion and could be wrong; and 3) share his disagreement in the form of a question. This approach made a major difference in Franklin's ability to collaborate effectively with people, a critical component of his success.
• Franklin documented a set of key standards for himself (moderation, humility, frugality, etc.) and then focused on a different one each week to turn them into habits over time.

5) Hard Working & Detail-Oriented. Franklin worked hard, consistently, and granularly.

• As a Printer in his 20s and 30s, people passing Franklin's printing shop would see him working late into the evening
• Pushed himself to make daily, detailed, practical progress 
• Wrote out plans in incredible detail, minutiae, footnotes (such as the charter for the University of Pennsylvania and procedures for the US Post Office)
• Made slight but impactful refinements to America’s founding documents (such as suggesting the famous phrase “self-evident” be used instead of Thomas Jefferson’s original “sacred and undeniable”)

6) Emotional discipline. One of Franklin's most marked characteristics (one he shared with George Washington and which differentiated him from many others like John Adams) was an extremely high level of emotional self control. A few examples:

• When called before Parliament in London, Franklin felt avoiding speaking back to Parliament members would improve his chances of avoiding jail - he was spoken poorly of repeatedly but maintained his composure (“I kept my countenance as immovable as if my desires had been made of wood”)
• To John Adams, Franklin wrote a very adversarial letter when he was upset, but never sent it, as it gave him the ability to express his frustration without making an enemy.

7) Continually earned an enhanced reputation, including:

• Becoming a leading printer in Philly led to him join a social club that helped him make major contributions to the city (university, library, fire insurance, widow insurance)
• Franklin's scientific achievements played an enormous role in his success as a statesmen - from US to London to France he had more doors open to him and was respectfully listened to
• In London, Franklin eventually stood up against British taxes on the colonies - doing so made him one of the most popular and respected Americans, positioning him for success as a diplomat and founding father

8) Avoided major mistakes (though made some medium ones...). Here are things that weren't part of his life - sounds not too difficult but at least one of these were a part of the lives of other founding fathers, past presidents, and geniuses like Newton and Mozart

• didn’t overspend or speculate away his money (his eventual financial success gave him independence and ability to contribute to public service later in his life)
• didn’t have an affair
• didn't have a duel
• generally avoided making personal enemies

9) Teamwork! Almost all accomplishments were with other people where he was just a part:

1. Co-founding America's first public library, the University of Pennsylvania, and insurance for widows
2. Engaging with the French to secure critical funding and support
3. Playing a key role in the Constitution successfully passing: “Attended the convention punctually and talked about it highly, helping to make it real. Chose to nominate Washington to chairman, when he was the only person who could have been thought of as a competitor ...Franklin's closing speech helped convince Constitutional delegates to vote for the Constitution, was called by some historians the most impressive moment of his life."

10) Franklin brought a sense of fun, joy, and curiosity which helped connect him with others and energize him over a long life of contributions:

• Franklin followed his interests, most notably in lightning and science which led to his discovery of electricity
• Franklin consistently had a good sense of humor, told stories, and generally was enjoyable to be around and work with. Quote from a Franklin contemporary: "I never saw a man who was in every respect so amiable in all ways"