Archive for November, 2007

The Science of Getting Rich was published in 1910, by Wallace Delois Wattles; a pioneer success writer, who has remained somewhat obscure yet still widely popular among the New Thought as well as self-help movements. Wattles was associated with the Chicago-based school of New Thought that centered around the teachings of Emma Curtis Hopkins. Through his personal study and experimentation he claimed to have discovered the truth of New Thought principles and put them into practice in his own life and wrote books outlining these principles.

From Florence’s letter (Wattles’ daughter), one learns that Wattles was born in the United States shortly before the Civil War, experienced much failure in his earlier years and later in life began to study the various religious beliefs and philosophies of the world, including those of Descartes, Spinoza, Gottfried Leibniz, Schopenhauer, Hegel, Swedenborg, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and others.

The most direct influence on Wattles’ thinking, outside of the books he read, came in 1896 in Chicago, when he attended “a convention of reformers” and met George Davis Herron, a Congregational Church minister and professor of Applied Christianity at Grinnell College who was then attracting nationwide attention by preaching a form of Christian Socialism. Thereafter Wattles became a social visionary and began to expound upon what Florence called “the wonderful social message of Jesus.” He at one time had held a position in the Methodist Church, but, according to Florence, he was ejected for his “heresy”.

Wattles practiced the technique of creative visualization and, as his daughter Florence related, “He wrote almost constantly. It was then that he formed his mental picture. He saw himself as a successful writer, a personality of power, an advancing man, and he began to work toward the realization of this vision. He lived every page … His life was truly the powerful life.”

He had been in frail health for several years and was 51 years old when he died in 1911, about a year after publication of The Science of Getting Rich.

Even with the abridged text above quoted directly from the wikipedia I do not feel you can capture the heart of the man behind the work without reading the piece itself. It does however outline a basis for the philosophies behind the book.

Wallace’s words are spoken in an easy to read format that pulls you into its voice with conviction. The steps detailed within the book are designed to not convert you, but to inform you that Wallace is actually preaching to the choir. The plan is detailed into 10 simple ideas that Wallace refers to as laws working in the underlying nuts and bolts within the great machine we call life. These ideas are then interpreted over 17 chapters, which read more akin to Sunday school sermons delivered with the passion of an old time fire and brimstone minister. His words are directed, his thought resolute and his faith is unwavering.

The first step in becoming wealthy happens to be a change of your mindset. How do we view money? How do we view industry? What is money? How do I acquire it for myself? What do I need to change?

According to Wallace we have been highly misinformed about what money truly is and how we need to accept it as the medium by which life is not only encouraged but also expanded within this stage of our development. Without money we do not get to truly partake of life, and there by evolve ourselves in the process. According to Wallace, until you are rich you have no real way to express your passions, to experience a real life or to even do any real good works in the world around you. It is your duty as a human being to reap of the abundance around you, and to use that wealth to grow one another’s abundance. According to Wallace, Lack of abundance is the product of our own mind and was formed by the limitations that we place upon ourselves.

Through the steps he lays out within this missive of wealth, he holds true to his vision that anyone willing to take up this journey and follows his directions laid out in the book in the full letter and spirit in which it was written is guaranteed to become wealthy. From a casual perspective, it appears that the method may work if one is diligent enough to see it through. However the average person may read this book and question its contents, or perhaps the validity of the end destination. As one reads this book most of the words within ring true as you read them. Whether this is due to the charismatic style of the author or the underlying truth within the words is hard to say. Once you recognize the passion that is required to reach any goal do you begin to appreciate what a monumental book/framework Wallace has created.

Wallace, as a pioneer of the self-help realm created the frame work on which almost every single self help book has been based in some form. As such, you will find a from the pulpit attitude within its pages and a conversion attempt on every page. Any self-help book you acquire through life must be treated as holy-text if it is to have impact upon your life, and this piece is no different. It is an honest book that tells you to do exactly that and also encourages you to keep focused only on this book or others of similar ilk until you reach the goal of getting rich. You are highly encouraged to avoid any kind of negative thought about money, or worries and concerns of the world at large. Keep your mind focused and wealth will come; for it must according to the laws laid out within the pages of his book (or so claimed (and according to history) proven by the author himself).

Realize that picking up this document and adhering to the tenants laid out within can be rather life changing, and at many times rather unpleasant. However, if you feel you are ready to take it upon yourself to reach the goal of becoming wealthy this is a great place to get started. Find yourself a copy inside of the Insight bookstore located at the Center for Spiritual Living at 4801 Spring Valley, Suite 115 in Dallas, TX.