Wallace Delois Wattles was an American author whose book "The Science of Getting Rich" directly inspired the modern prosperity movement, including Rhonda Byrne's "The Secret." His approach was unique: he treated wealth creation as a science with specific, repeatable principles.
Wattles rejected both the guilt around wealth common in religious teaching and the idea that poverty was noble. He saw prosperity as a natural result of thinking and acting "in a certain way."
The Teaching
Wattles proposed that there is a "thinking stuff" from which all things are made. This substance responds to thought—a clear mental image, held with faith and purpose, will be formed into physical reality.
"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. A thought in this substance produces the thing that is imaged by the thought."
He emphasized the "Certain Way"—a combination of clear vision, unwavering faith, and efficient action. Prosperity came not from competition but from creation; not from taking but from giving more value than you receive.
Key Works
- The Science of Getting Rich (1910) — His masterwork on prosperity
- The Science of Being Great (1911) — On personal development
- The Science of Being Well (1910) — On health through thought
His Approach
Wattles was systematic where others were poetic. He used quasi-scientific language—"laws," "principles," "certain ways." This was deliberate: he wanted to strip the mystery from prosperity and present it as a learnable skill.
His formula was specific: form a clear mental image of what you want, hold it with faith (not hope—certainty), express gratitude as if you've already received it, and act with purpose and efficiency in your present role.
Why He Matters
- Practical: His instructions are step-by-step and actionable.
- Non-mystical: He presents principles, not beliefs to accept on faith.
- Ethical: True wealth comes from creating value, not exploiting others.
- Influential: His work sparked the modern prosperity consciousness movement.
"By thought, the thing you want is brought to you. By action, you receive it."