Grow in Virtue

Commit to exercising a habit for at least one sub-virtue of each cardinal virtue every day. When exercising a habit for a sub-virtue, you also are exercising the cardinal virtue associated with it.

As an example and recommendation, you might start by exercising a habit for each of these sub-virtues (with links for examples of habits):

• Religion (its cardinal virtue is Justice)

• Restraint (its cardinal virtue is Temperance)

• Resilience (its cardinal virtue is Fortitude)

• Teachability (its cardinal virtue of Prudence)

The four cardinal virtues of Prudence, Justice, Fortitude, and Temperance are listed below with their bulleted sub-virtues, an explanation, and a link for some of the sub-virtues to provide examples of habits:

Prudence

The cardinal virtue of Prudence (practical wisdom) and its following sub-virtues deal with our thoughts:

• Memory: Recollecting existing knowledge from facts or experience.

• Judgment: Knowing what principles to use in a particular situation.

• Teachability: Learning from others.

• Creativity: Gaining new information by discovery. (e.g. Brainstorming, experimenting)

• Reasoning: Moving logically from one step to the next until reaching a conclusion.

• Alertness: Having situational awareness. (e.g. Pay attention to surroundings & experiences)

• Foresight: Setting the right goals and updating them as necessary.

• Preparedness: Anticipating obstacles & deciding what to do to avoid them.

Justice

The cardinal virtue of Justice and its following sub-virtues deal with our actions:

• Distributive Justice: Fair distribution of shared benefits & burdens from a community to individuals.

• Commutative Justice: Being fair in commercial transactions from one person to another.

• Honesty: Telling the truth, or at least not lying.

• Gratitude: The appropriate response when someone does good things to or for us.

• Correction: The appropriate response when someone does bad things.

• Friendliness:  How to treat others with whom you interact. (e.g. Show love or mercy to others)

• Generosity: Being willing to share what you have.

• Compliance: Obeying those in authority over you.

• Respect: Honoring the dignity of others.

• Patriotism: Doing your duty to your parents and country.

• Religion: Doing one's duty to God.

• Reasonableness: Going beyond laws, rules, or customs to be just toward others.

Fortitude

The cardinal virtue of Fortitude (courage) and its following sub-virtues deal with our feelings of fear:

• Perseverance: Enduring physical challenges. 

• Resilience: Enduring mental challenges.

• Magnanimity: Greatness of soul or spirit in taking on big challenges.

• Munificence: Spending large sums of your own money to achieve a great good. (e.g. Philanthropy)

Temperance

The cardinal virtue of Temperance (self-discipline) and its following sub-virtues deal with our feelings of desire:

• Restraint: Refraining from the desire to do something unworthy.

• Humility: Managing the desire to do great things.

• Diligence: Intense study driven by a love of knowing.

• Gentlefirmness: Directing your anger toward making things right.

• Forgiveness: Moderating your response to what causes anger. (e.g. Forgiving others)

• Orderliness: Prioritizing and completing work. (e.g. Time-blocking)

• Eutrapelia: Incorporating effective play/leisure time.

• Gravitas: Concerns fidgeting, slouching, or other actions that distract others.

• Suppleness: The impact of your movement on your physical health.

• Modesty: Dressing suitably to prevent distracting others.

• Abstemiousness: Eating & drinking to optimize physical health.

• Sobriety: Drinking alcohol in moderation, not in excess.

• Chasteness: Moderating the sexual appetite to your state in life. (e.g. Sex within marriage)

• Thrift: Being satisfied with the quantity of things you have. (e.g. Budgeting finances)

• Contentment: Being satisfied with the quality of things you have. (e.g. Simple living)

Exercise better habits with these best practices:

• Download the Habit Tracker to document and track your habits.

• Stack your habits to exercise a new habit before, during, or after an existing habit.

• Exercise habits with others who are doing them too.

• Plan habits in your daily schedule.

• Start habits with a 2-minute version, then improve them gradually with a fuller version.

Share your experience with others as accountability for you and encouragement for others to grow in virtue and happiness:

• Share your daily experience on a Daily Virtue Renewal (DVR) call or with someone you trust.

• Share your weekly experience during a weekly group meeting.

• Share your overall experience with a spiritual director, professional counselor, and/or personal coach for help.