The Science of Getting Rich

Wallace D. Wattles

As the title of Wattles' work suggests, this book is first and foremost a guide to acquiring wealth. However there is more to life than achieving financial success, and that is why the author also treats the successful life in general. After making the fundamental claim that everyone has the right to be rich, he puts forward his principles for practical action, aimed to "make the most of yourself." These principles include acting efficiently and getting into the right business, as well as expressing gratitude. The single most important principle stated by the author is creativity. Throughout the book he focuses on the power of thought, and shows how to use willpower for achieving goals. Pointing out that life is a self-fulfilling prophecy, he advocates the purposeful direction of thought and action.

According to Wattles, the philosophy of the book is based on a monistic viewpoint of the universe, which is also the foundation of oriental philosophy. Because all of life is connected, the author discourages competition and urges the reader to create value instead. By getting rich in a creative way, no harm is done to other people; on the contrary, others will benefit from the inspiration that comes from the successful person. Arguing strongly in the tradition of John Ruskin that there is no wealth but life, Wattles with his work has created the ancestor of many a modern self-help and personal finance book.