Wallace D. Wattles is one of my favorite historical authors of creating abundance. The Science of Getting Rich, written by Wattles, is a classic and you can access a free download from the web. Just google the title and you’ll find many different sites that offer the download. The Science of Getting Rich actually came out before Think and Grow Rich, a better known classic.
Wallace didn’t start out with riches nor fame. His humble beginnings included failures, and it wasn’t until he studied the works of Descartes, Schopenhauer, Ralph Waldo Emerson and others that life changed for the good. He then studied New Thought, and that is when his fortune turned around.
Most of what we know about Wattles we learned from his daughter Florence, who wrote about him after his death in 1911. We learned that he was also involved in the Methodist Church until they discharged him for heresy. She wrote that as he saw himself as a successful writer that became his reality.
When you read The Science of Getting Rich, you will immediately sense a religious tone to his book. Don’t let that deter you, because it is very much on a inclusive level. Wattles has much to offer us in our journey of creating abundance.
Let me begin with one of his basic concepts. “The universe is a great Living Presence, always moving inherently toward more life and fuller functioning.” He goes on to tell us that the universe is filled with Formless Stuff, which is intelligent and unlimited. He tells us the first principle of his system… “Thought is the only power which can produce tangible riches from the Formless Substance.”
Another of his ideas is taking our efforts away from competition and placing them on our creative abilities. He advises us to draw upon the creative abilities within each of us. The core of his teaching in this area was “give every man more in use value than you take from him in cash value; then you are adding to the life of the world by every business transaction.”
He speaks directly of God when he advises us to leave behind the old way of thinking about sacrificing in the name of God. Consequently, coming from a place of limitation, people feel a sense of shame if they have too much. He plainly writes that it displeases God.
Then Wattles includes a measure of gratitude to his formula for getting rich. The formula begins to look like this… Intelligent Substance = the source of all desires + the feeling of gratitude = getting rich.
Wattles continues to write about the “Certain Way.” This starts with a vivid mental picture of your desire(s). Within this clear image must be a purpose, and then you add faith to the mixture.
The last ingredient needed is action for without action you will not gain the benefits. Here is what he writes about action. “Do every day, all that you can do that day, and do each act in an efficient manner.”
Now I have teased you with a taste of Wallace Wattles and The Science of Getting Rich. If this brief article ignites an interest in learning more you know where to find the complete book. In your personal efforts of creating abundance, you can apply these ideas and make it your own personal reality.

