The Science of Getting Rich

Wallace D. Wattles’ The Science of Getting Rich is not written as a motivational cheerleading book about money, but instead as a structured blueprint explaining wealth as the outcome of specific mental laws. Wattles argues that financial success is not random luck, not talent-dependent, and not limited to a chosen few—it is the predictable result of thinking and acting according to universal principles that govern prosperity. Rather than treat money as something people fight over, the book reframes wealth as something created through an internal process that begins in the mind. It claims that riches are accessible to every person willing to align thought, gratitude, belief, and purposeful effort with the natural order of abundance.

The work emphasizes that humans are meant to advance, grow, and express themselves fully. Wealth is simply the means by which people acquire the tools needed to reach that potential. Therefore, wanting to be rich is not selfish—it’s seen as a desire to expand one’s capability, contribute more, and experience life more fully. The author insists that poverty benefits no one; development and goodness thrive where resources are plentiful. To get rich, one must first accept that becoming wealthy is rightful and natural.

The Creative Power of Thought: The First Pillar of Wealth

Wattles proposes that thought is the root cause behind every physical result. The world, in his explanation, is filled with an invisible energetic substance that responds to directed mental images. When a person holds a persistent thought firmly and clearly, this unseen substance begins organizing circumstances to match that mental blueprint. This is not wishful thinking—rather, it is a disciplined mental practice requiring unwavering focus.

He explains that many people desire wealth abstractly, yet clutter their minds with conflicting beliefs, fears, and doubt. When inner dialogue warns “money is hard to get” or “only certain people succeed,” the creative power of thought weakens. To generate wealth, one must think wealth—not poverty, debt, or limitation. In Wattles’ philosophy, every negative belief about money slows or even blocks progress.

The process begins internally: one imagines the life they want with detail, holds it in consciousness, and refuses thoughts that counter it. The clearer and more emotionally charged the vision, the stronger its creative power. In modern language, this resembles visualization techniques, mindset training, and affirmations. Wattles declares thought is the engine of manifestation—but thought alone is not enough, which is where action comes in later.

Abundance as a Natural Law: Moving Away from Scarcity Thinking

One of the largest mental shifts the book demands is abandoning the belief that resources are limited. Instead of picturing wealth as a pie that shrinks when someone else gets a slice, Wattles teaches that the universe continually expands. Opportunity is not something to steal—it is something to generate.

A person must learn to celebrate the success of others rather than envy it. Jealousy aligns the mind with lack, while admiration reinforces the idea that wealth is achievable. According to Wattles, prosperity is not won through competition; it is formed through creation. Those who think creatively seek ...