The Science of Getting Rich
Encyclopedia
The Science of Getting Rich is a book
written by the New Thought Movement writer Wallace D. Wattles
; it was published in 1910 by the Elizabeth Towne
Company. The book is still in print after 100 years. It was a major inspiration for Rhonda Byrne
's bestselling book and film The Secret (2006 film). According to USA Today
, the text is "divided into 17 short, straight-to-the-point chapters that explain how to overcome mental barriers, and how creation, not competition, is the hidden key to wealth attraction."
, the editor-in-chief of the Jeremy Tarcher imprint of Penguin Books
, which reprinted The Science of Getting Rich in 2007, Wattles's "Certain Way" descended from the "mental healing movement" that had started earlier with Phineas P. Quimby in the mid-19th century. As Horowitz explained to a reporter from the Washington Post, after experiencing relief from physical symptoms of discomfort or illness through Quimby's mental strategies, people began to wonder, "If my state of mind seems to have a positive influence over how I feel physically, what other things can it do? Can it lead to prosperity? Can it lead to happiness in my home? Can it lead to finding love and romance?" One result of such questioning was Wattles's application of Quimbian "mental healing" strategies to financial as well as physiological situations.
Wattles, who had formerly been a Methodist, ran for office as a Socialist candidate in Indiana
in 1916. He included the word science
in the title, reflecting a secular approach to New Thought
though also thereby borrowing from the then-rampant popularity of Christian Science
and its offshoots as he wrote about business prosperity, mind training, and success in the material world. The mental technique that he called "thinking in the Certain Way," was intended to establish a state of positivity and self-affirmation. According to Horowitz, mental healing and positive thinking theories for prosperity were joined by late 19th century trends such as Transcendentalism
and a belief in the power of science
and that "All these currents came together, and this philosophy that we call 'New Thought,' was born out of them. It's as American as an old-growth forest."
The contents, with chapter titles like "How to Use the Will" and "Further Use of the Will" advance Wattles's concept of the "Certain Way." ; similar keywords about will power
, mastery, and success are found in the writings of contemporary early 20th century authors Charles F. Haanel
(The Master Key System
), the Methodist minister Frank Channing Haddock
(Power of Will, Power for Success, Mastery of Self for Wealth Power Success), and Elizabeth Towne
(How to Grow Success). Towne published other books and magazine articles by Wattles: The Science of Getting Rich (1910) is a companion volume to the author's book on health from a New Thought perspective, The Science of Being Well (1910) and his personal self-help book The Science of Being Great (1911). All three were originally issued in matching bindings.
by Charles F. Haanel
(1912) and Think and Grow Rich
by Napoleon Hill
(1937). In the 100 years since its publication, it has gone through many editions, and remains in print from more than one publisher.
The Science of Getting Rich was credited by Rhonda Byrne
as one of the inspirations for her popular 2006 film and 2007 book The Secret. As Byrne explained it on the web site of Oprah Winfrey
, "Something inside of me had me turn the pages one by one, and I can still remember my tears hitting the pages as I was reading it. [...] It gave me a glimpse of The Secret. It was like a flame inside of my heart. And with every day since, it's just become a raging fire of wanting to share all of this with the world."
The Science of Getting Rich was presented via the Science of Getting Rich Network in 1999. The book was made freely available from the website www.scienceofgettingrich.net by Rebecca Fine. The book inspired Rebecca to create a course on the subject of getting rich and that course has been taken up by people in 174 different countries. A thriving community evolved of like minded people discussing their results from having read the book or doing the course. The SOGR Network still flourishes today and many people have had huge successes through using the information contained in the book. The site has recently been given a face lift and has revamped the course using video and multi media to make the learning process easier and fun. Croz a success story from the course 8 years ago, is now running the site and welcomes any like minded people to join him, on this amazing journey of realisation.
When Tarcher/Penguin reprinted the book in 2007, their initial print run was 75,000 copies.
The continuing influence of The Science of Getting Rich is such that in addition to reprints and audio versions of the book itself, there are a number of web domains whose names are based on its title.
The book is included in personal development scholar Tom Butler-Bowdon
's list of "50 Success Classics" in his 2004 book of that name.
Book
A book is a set or collection of written, printed, illustrated, or blank sheets, made of hot lava, paper, parchment, or other materials, usually fastened together to hinge at one side. A single sheet within a book is called a leaf or leaflet, and each side of a leaf is called a page...
written by the New Thought Movement writer Wallace D. Wattles
Wallace Wattles
Wallace Delois Wattles was an American author. A New Thought writer, he remains personally somewhat obscure, but his writing has been widely quoted and remains in print in the New Thought and self-help movements....
; it was published in 1910 by the Elizabeth Towne
Elizabeth Towne
Elizabeth Towne was an influential writer, editor, and publisher in the New Thought and self-help movements.-Career:Both Elizabeth Towne and her second husband William E. Towne were for many years associated with the International New Thought Alliance , and served on its board in various capacities...
Company. The book is still in print after 100 years. It was a major inspiration for Rhonda Byrne
Rhonda Byrne
Rhonda Byrne is an Australian television writer and producer, best known for her New Thought works, The Secret—a book and a film by the same name. By the Spring of 2007 the book had sold almost 4 million copies, and the DVD had sold more than 2 million copies omt. She has also been a producer...
's bestselling book and film The Secret (2006 film). According to USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
, the text is "divided into 17 short, straight-to-the-point chapters that explain how to overcome mental barriers, and how creation, not competition, is the hidden key to wealth attraction."
Historical context
The Science of Getting Rich is based upon what Wattles called "the Certain Way of Thinking." According to Mitch HorowitzMitch Horowitz
Mitch Horowitz is an American writer in occult and esoteric themes. He is the editor-in-chief of Tarcher/Penguin in New York City.Horowitz is the author of Occult America: The Secret History of How Mysticism Shaped Our Nation...
, the editor-in-chief of the Jeremy Tarcher imprint of Penguin Books
Penguin Books
Penguin Books is a publisher founded in 1935 by Sir Allen Lane and V.K. Krishna Menon. Penguin revolutionised publishing in the 1930s through its high quality, inexpensive paperbacks, sold through Woolworths and other high street stores for sixpence. Penguin's success demonstrated that large...
, which reprinted The Science of Getting Rich in 2007, Wattles's "Certain Way" descended from the "mental healing movement" that had started earlier with Phineas P. Quimby in the mid-19th century. As Horowitz explained to a reporter from the Washington Post, after experiencing relief from physical symptoms of discomfort or illness through Quimby's mental strategies, people began to wonder, "If my state of mind seems to have a positive influence over how I feel physically, what other things can it do? Can it lead to prosperity? Can it lead to happiness in my home? Can it lead to finding love and romance?" One result of such questioning was Wattles's application of Quimbian "mental healing" strategies to financial as well as physiological situations.
Wattles, who had formerly been a Methodist, ran for office as a Socialist candidate in Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
in 1916. He included the word science
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
in the title, reflecting a secular approach to New Thought
New Thought
New Thought promotes the ideas that "Infinite Intelligence" or "God" is ubiquitous, spirit is the totality of real things, true human selfhood is divine, divine thought is a force for good, sickness originates in the mind, and "right thinking" has a healing effect.Although New Thought is neither...
though also thereby borrowing from the then-rampant popularity of Christian Science
Christian Science
Christian Science is a system of thought and practice derived from the writings of Mary Baker Eddy and the Bible. It is practiced by members of The First Church of Christ, Scientist as well as some others who are nonmembers. Its central texts are the Bible and the Christian Science textbook,...
and its offshoots as he wrote about business prosperity, mind training, and success in the material world. The mental technique that he called "thinking in the Certain Way," was intended to establish a state of positivity and self-affirmation. According to Horowitz, mental healing and positive thinking theories for prosperity were joined by late 19th century trends such as Transcendentalism
Transcendentalism
Transcendentalism is a philosophical movement that developed in the 1830s and 1840s in the New England region of the United States as a protest against the general state of culture and society, and in particular, the state of intellectualism at Harvard University and the doctrine of the Unitarian...
and a belief in the power of science
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
and that "All these currents came together, and this philosophy that we call 'New Thought,' was born out of them. It's as American as an old-growth forest."
The contents, with chapter titles like "How to Use the Will" and "Further Use of the Will" advance Wattles's concept of the "Certain Way." ; similar keywords about will power
Will Power
William Steven Power is an Australian motorsport driver, who currently competes in the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series, driving for Team Penske.-Australian Racing:...
, mastery, and success are found in the writings of contemporary early 20th century authors Charles F. Haanel
Charles F. Haanel
Charles Francis Haanel was a noted American New Thought author and a businessman. He is best known for his contributions to the New Thought Movement through his book The Master Key System....
(The Master Key System
The Master Key System
The Master Key System is a personal development book by Charles F. Haanel that was originally published as a correspondence course in 1912. Though originally a 24 week correspondence course, it was published in book form in 1916. It was first published as a book in 1916 by Psychology Publishing, St...
), the Methodist minister Frank Channing Haddock
Frank Channing Haddock
Frank Channing Haddock was an influential New Thought and self-help author, best known for his series, The Power-Book Library.-Early life and career:...
(Power of Will, Power for Success, Mastery of Self for Wealth Power Success), and Elizabeth Towne
Elizabeth Towne
Elizabeth Towne was an influential writer, editor, and publisher in the New Thought and self-help movements.-Career:Both Elizabeth Towne and her second husband William E. Towne were for many years associated with the International New Thought Alliance , and served on its board in various capacities...
(How to Grow Success). Towne published other books and magazine articles by Wattles: The Science of Getting Rich (1910) is a companion volume to the author's book on health from a New Thought perspective, The Science of Being Well (1910) and his personal self-help book The Science of Being Great (1911). All three were originally issued in matching bindings.
Influence
The Science of Getting Rich preceded similar financial success books such as The Master Key SystemThe Master Key System
The Master Key System is a personal development book by Charles F. Haanel that was originally published as a correspondence course in 1912. Though originally a 24 week correspondence course, it was published in book form in 1916. It was first published as a book in 1916 by Psychology Publishing, St...
by Charles F. Haanel
Charles F. Haanel
Charles Francis Haanel was a noted American New Thought author and a businessman. He is best known for his contributions to the New Thought Movement through his book The Master Key System....
(1912) and Think and Grow Rich
Think and Grow Rich
Think and Grow Rich is a motivational personal development and self-help book written by Napoleon Hill and inspired by a suggestion from Scottish-American businessman Andrew Carnegie...
by Napoleon Hill
Napoleon Hill
Napoleon Hill was an American author who was one of the earliest producers of the modern genre of personal-success literature. He is widely considered to be one of the great writers on success...
(1937). In the 100 years since its publication, it has gone through many editions, and remains in print from more than one publisher.
The Science of Getting Rich was credited by Rhonda Byrne
Rhonda Byrne
Rhonda Byrne is an Australian television writer and producer, best known for her New Thought works, The Secret—a book and a film by the same name. By the Spring of 2007 the book had sold almost 4 million copies, and the DVD had sold more than 2 million copies omt. She has also been a producer...
as one of the inspirations for her popular 2006 film and 2007 book The Secret. As Byrne explained it on the web site of Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey is an American media proprietor, talk show host, actress, producer and philanthropist. Winfrey is best known for her self-titled, multi-award-winning talk show, which has become the highest-rated program of its kind in history and was nationally syndicated from 1986 to 2011...
, "Something inside of me had me turn the pages one by one, and I can still remember my tears hitting the pages as I was reading it. [...] It gave me a glimpse of The Secret. It was like a flame inside of my heart. And with every day since, it's just become a raging fire of wanting to share all of this with the world."
The Science of Getting Rich was presented via the Science of Getting Rich Network in 1999. The book was made freely available from the website www.scienceofgettingrich.net by Rebecca Fine. The book inspired Rebecca to create a course on the subject of getting rich and that course has been taken up by people in 174 different countries. A thriving community evolved of like minded people discussing their results from having read the book or doing the course. The SOGR Network still flourishes today and many people have had huge successes through using the information contained in the book. The site has recently been given a face lift and has revamped the course using video and multi media to make the learning process easier and fun. Croz a success story from the course 8 years ago, is now running the site and welcomes any like minded people to join him, on this amazing journey of realisation.
When Tarcher/Penguin reprinted the book in 2007, their initial print run was 75,000 copies.
The continuing influence of The Science of Getting Rich is such that in addition to reprints and audio versions of the book itself, there are a number of web domains whose names are based on its title.
The book is included in personal development scholar Tom Butler-Bowdon
Tom Butler-Bowdon
Tom Butler-Bowdon is a non-fiction author based in Oxford, England, most notable for the 50 Classics series of books, which provide commentaries on key writings in the personal development field....
's list of "50 Success Classics" in his 2004 book of that name.