top of page

​

Virtues

 

The cardinal virtues are shown below with their bulleted sub-virtues that help you focus your efforts. Some of the virtues are linked to examples of better habits you can exercise to grow in that virtue. To learn more about these virtues, read Superhabits:

​

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.

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

  • Alertness: Having situational awareness.

  • 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:  Helps you to be friendly 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.

 

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.

  • Orderliness: Prioritizing and completing tasks.

  • Eutrapelia: Enjoying restful play/leisure.

  • 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: Moderating eating & drinking.

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

  • Chasteness: Moderating the sexual appetite to your state in life.

  • Thrift: Being satisfied with the quantity of possessions.

  • Contentment: Being satisfied with the quality of things you have.

bottom of page