Wallace D. Wattles: The Science of Getting Rich (Annotated Summary)

Wallace D. Wattles wrote “The Science of Getting Rich” in the early 1900’s, almost one century plus two decades has passed since then and the book has found its resurgence into our present time as people rediscovers his teachings.

Wallace had made swift declarations in his book that this is the ONLY book one needs to get rich. He even goes into saying that one should not read other books but simply focus their energy on the ‘energy work‘ that this book requires.

In many ways, Wallace is true to his words. This book indeed may be the only book one needs to align to the energy of wealth and abundance.

Wallace’s book reminds us that our “universe” is indeed not made of solid matter as we thought it was, it is made up of what he calls the “thinking stuff” and he goes on to saying: “in its original state, permeates, penetrates, and fills the interspaces of the universe.”

“There is a thinking stuff from which all things are made, and which, in its original state, permeates, penetrates, and fills the interspaces of the universe.”

 

As I reflect to read and study this book, I continue to find more nuggets of wisdom. I decided that writing about it could further add to my learnings. Here is the summary of “The Science of Getting Rich” from the chapter of the book itself. 

Drawing from the summary chapter of the book lies core premise and ideas of Wallace’s teachings. I have numbered them here for reference only. Each idea builds on top of the other.

My hope is that this summary could help introduce readers to the concept that Wallace talk about in the book. I hope my annotations help in any way. Here is my annotations on “The Science of Getting Rich” summary chapter:

 

1. There is a thinking stuff from which all things are made, and which, in its original state, permeates, penetrates, and fills the interspaces of the universe!

2. A thought in this substance produces the thing that is imaged by the thought!

3. A person can form things in his thought, and by impressing his thought upon formless substance can cause the thing he thinks about to be created!

In these first 3 lines, we examine the notion that is presented on the true nature of our universe. It is made up of energy vibration. Therefore, we are energy vibrating creators. 

In order to create, we form a picture to ask for what we want, and then we must set out to vibrate on the frequency of what we want to attract it into our life. This concept is further fleshed out by the “Law of Attraction” which I often write about. 

The idea is that there is no way we can say we want to be rich when our mindset, our very actions tell us otherwise. Since we can only create an “impression” of the same image to be created for us. The universe can only bring to us what we put out there.

How can we do then to change that? Wattles has laid out that plan in his book and in the following lines of the summary is the how we do it:

 

4. In order to do this, a person must pass from the competitive to the creative mind!

5. Otherwise he cannot be in harmony with formless intelligence, which is always creative and never competitive in spirit!

6. A person may come into full harmony with the formless substance by entertaining a lively and sincere gratitude for the blessings it bestows upon him!

 

These are great lines jam-packed with a lot of core concepts. 

The 4th line is a big one to start off with, I have often talked about the idea of WHY we must evolve from a competitive mindset. The competitive mind is a mind born from a lack perspective. If we do not have enough, then we become competitive so we must squash others to get what we want since things are limited. However, the universe is NOT like this at all. We must wake up. 

We can only look up at the stars and see for ourselves the trillions and trillions of suns and planets in abundance. The universe can create more because it is always ever-expanding and always in the state of becoming more.  As we ask it for more it always can deliver more. Therefore, a competitive mindset is counter to how the universe works!

This 5th and 6th line open up to the mindset we must have in order to attract wealth and abundance and further explained by these lines:

7. Gratitude unifies the minds of individuals with the intelligence of substance, so that a person’s thoughts are received by the formless.

8. A person can remain upon the creative plane only by uniting himself with the formless intelligence through a deep and continuous feeling of gratitude!

 

The 7th and 8th lines are my favorites.

Gratitude is a mindset we must develop on a daily basis. Moreover, an “attitude of gratitude” is one of the surest ways we can ensure that we are in an abundant mindset. 

The more thankful we are for what we have, the more we say to the universe that we are READY for all the blessings and abundance that come our way.

Like us, the universe does not like complainers, people that are ingrates. Have you ever known someone who is just not happy about anything, never ever thankful about anything? 

They complain about everything, not noticing the pleasing things that the universe has provided for them? You will probably notice that the flow of life and abundance is slow for them, it only comes in drips. 

Why? Because their attitude blocks the things that are held up for them. They are  NOT in the same vibration as all the things that are queued up for them by the universe. Therefore they simply cannot receive them.

An “attitude of gratitude” elevates our energy and our vibration. 

I think this habit is so important I have been keeping a “Gratitude Journal” where every day I  put at least 5 things I am grateful for. It could be anything at all! When I started, I could only write up to 4 or 5 things barely. But now, I can easily list anything and everything that 10-15 things come quickly.

We have A LOT to be grateful for but we lose our focus on them and that is why keeping a gratitude journal is a great way to ensure we cultivate the attitude of gratitude.

The last couple of lines are important ones and has to do with what is often referred to by Napoleon Hill, the author of “Think and Grow Rich” as “definiteness of purpose”:

9. A person must form a clear and definite mental image of the things he wishes to have, to do, or to become, and he must hold this mental image in his thoughts, while being deeply grateful to the supreme that all his desires are granted to him!

10. The person who wishes to get rich must spend his leisure hours in contemplating his vision, and in earnest thanksgiving that the reality is being given to him!

11. Too much stress cannot be laid on the importance of frequent contemplation of the mental image, coupled with unwavering faith and devout gratitude!

12. This is the process by which the impression is given to the formless and the creative forces set in motion!

One cannot get the full grasp of these ideas until we read exactly how Wallace D. Wattles himself uses this method. I found this reference on his Wikipedia entry of is known as “creative visualization:”

 

Wattles practiced the technique of creative visualization. In his daughter Florence’s words, he “formed a mental picture” or visual image, and then “worked toward the realization of this vision”:[2]

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. [Source: Wikipedia.org]

I wrote previously about the power of prayer, and how to pray in this blog post: How To Pray (The Secret Way Of Praying To Unlock Blessings).  

Our deepest form of prayer is actually a mindful visualization of the outcome that we want.

It is a way of forming and impressing our intentions to the “thinking stuff.” I believe this is exactly the type of technique employed by Wattles. It is also a form of “asking” in the “Ask and It is Given” concept of the Law of Attraction by Abraham Hicks.  

The asking is actually a small part of this whole process. The universe hears us and is always delivering to us what we ask. We must only be ready to ask and open to the acceptance. It is only when we are ready, free from any notion of how it will be delivered to us that we can see things come to fruition, not while we are experiencing it, but when we look back later on. 

 

I hope you enjoy the summary of the summary chapter of “The Science of Getting Rich.” I fully recommend reading the whole book and studying it in-depth as it is one of the best, if not possibly the only book one can read on wealth creation.

 

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