What problem does Benjamin Franklin foresee with his plan of arriving at moral perfection?

Franklin devised a system to master 13 virtues that he believed would lead to self-improvement. He charted his progress for each of these virtues. His plan was not fool-proof, however, because he would perfect one virtue but would slip on that first virtue when he began to work on the next. Franklin realized that achieving moral perfection would require living a balanced life.

Franklin saw himself as the most important obstacle in arriving at moral perfection. He was brilliant in all areas and a most learned man, but he conceded that "moral perfection" in a human being would be a much harder feat than all of the things he'd accomplished throughout his life.

His 13 Virtues were to be tackled one at a time, and that tackling faults would require more than constant self-evaluation. It would require the breaking of habits; something most of us find difficult to do. I think that aubtiger answers his/her own question here by citing a person would have to live a balanced life. I believe that Franklin answered that question when he placed temperance at the top of his list. Temperance can be defined in a multitude of ways, and to achieve temperance in your life is as the asker writes, "a balanced life."

Very true, Jill d. Franklin placed temperance at the top of his list; however his precept reflects that he was considering a more narrow meaning of the virtue:

Temperance

Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation.

If he was considering the broader "live a balanced life" idea with his first virtue, his precept certainly doesn't reflect a belief that temperance itself covered the entire gamut to include virtues such as chastity, justice, silence, tranquility, and especially humility.

If we broaden the meanings of his virtues, they lose their punch and become indisguishable.

Franklin saw himself as the most important obstacle in arriving at moral perfection. He was brilliant in all areas and a most learned man, but he conceded that "moral perfection" in a human being would be a much harder feat than all of the things he'd accomplished throughout his life.

His 13 Virtues were to be tackled one at a time, and that tackling faults would require more than constant self-evaluation. It would require the breaking of habits; something most of us find difficult to do. I think that aubtiger answers his/her own question here by citing a person would have to live a balanced life. I believe that Franklin answered that question when he placed temperance at the top of his list. Temperance can be defined in a multitude of ways, and to achieve temperance in your life is as the asker writes, "a balanced life."