This is the sixth in a series of articles based on the teachings found in the success classic “The Science of Getting Rich”, written in 1910 by Wallace D. Wattles. This book—now in the public domain–is essential reading for anyone who wants to become wealthy. It served as inspiration for the hit film, “The Secret”.
As Mr. Wattles explains in the eighth chapter of “The Science of Getting Rich”, the first step in the science of getting rich is to convey the idea of your wants to the formless substance. In other words, in order to get what you want you have to know what you want, and you have to communicate your wants to original substance by holding an image of what you want in your mind.
In addition, this mental image must be clear and specific, and not just some vague notion. It is not enough that you should have a desire for wealth in order “to do good” or a general desire to travel.
As an example, Mr. Wattles indicates that you would not send a letter to a friend filled with random words from the dictionary and let him construct the message for himself. You would send a coherent sentence which would communicate your message to your friend clearly. Likewise, when you try to impress your wants upon the thinking substance, remember that it must be done by a coherent statement.
As Mr. Wattles indicates, “You must know what you want and be specific and definite. You can never get rich or start the creative power into action by sending out unformed longings and vague desires.” Decide what it is that you want and then set about to create the most complete and specific mental picture that you can.
Choose the key areas of your life and decide what you want for each of these areas. The areas you choose could be the following:
1. Finances: What would you like your net worth to be? When would you like to retire? How much money do you need to support your life goals? What investments would you like to make?
2. Vocation/Career/Contribution: What do you want to do? What do you want to contribute? What would you like to be known for in your profession? What kind of impact would you like to have? What could you create? What contributions do you dream of making? What does your workday look like?
3. Learning/Personal Development: What are your life goals? What skills would you like to acquire? What courses or seminars would you like to attend? What books would you like to read? What are your thinking strategies?
4. Intimate Relationship/Marriage/Children: What would you like your relationship with your partner to be like? What do you want your marriage to look like? What do you want your relationship with your children to be like?
5. Social/Interpersonal/Community: What kind of organizations would you like to be involved in? What qualities and values do you want your friends to have?
6. Home: What is your perfect home environment?
7. Spiritual: What would make you feel spiritually fulfilled?
8. Fitness/Style/Beauty: What are your fitness goals? What would you like to look like?
9. Travel/Adventure/Fun: Where would you like to go? What activities relax you can bring you joy? What adventures would you like to have?
10. Possessions: What would you like to own? What kind of car would you like to drive? Do you want to own a boat? Are there any electronic gadgets you would really like to have?
Decide what you want in each of these areas of your life. Flip through magazines to get ideas and cut out any pictures that call your attention. Create a picture in your mind of what you want in each area of your life and continuously make it more and more specific and add details.
Next, you need to remain focused on what you want. In “Simpleology, the Simple Science of Getting What You Want”, Mark Joyner explains that the Law of Focused Energy states that in order to accomplish something you must focus sufficient energy on it.
For purposes of getting rich, this means that you must have your mental picture continually in front of you. Dwell upon it often, always adding more and more detail to it.
Mr. Wattles admonishes that in order to get rich you must really want to get rich. In other words, strong desire is an important ingredient in the formula. The more you concentrate on what you want, and the more clearly you can see it in your mind, the more you will desire it. And the more that you desire it, the easier it will be to keep your mind fixed on the picture of what you want.
The great Napoleon Hill, famed author of “Think and Grow Rich”, had this to say about desire:
“Truly, thoughts are things, and powerful things at that, when they are mixed with definiteness of purpose, persistence, and a burning desire for their translation into riches, or other material objects.”
When you’re thinking about what you want, you must do so with the intent to bring it into tangible expression. That is, you’re not just daydreaming, you’re establishing the foundations for what you intend to bring into your life. Your intention is an energy that you’re sending out into the universe, and the universe responds to this energy.
Another important element is faith: you must know that what you’re thinking about is already yours, and that it’s on its way. Take ownership of the thing you’re manifesting into your life, claim it as being already yours: mentally live in the house you’ve designed for yourself in your mind, wear the clothes you have pictured in your head, mentally drive the car you intend to bring into your life.
Be grateful now for all the things you intend to impress into the thoughtless form, as grateful as you expect to be when they actually take form. The quote below illustrates these principles:
“[I]f you want a sewing machine, hold a mental image of it with the most positive certainty that it is being made or is on its way to you. After once forming the thought, have the most absolute and unquestioning faith that the sewing machine is coming. Never think of it or speak of it in any other way than as being sure to arrive.”
When you’re asking for what you want, do not hesitate to ask largely; original substance wants you to have all that you can use for living the most abundant life you’re capable of living.
The original substance wants to live and enjoy things through humanity: it wants to play music, sing, travel, be beautifully clothed, enjoy comfortable surroundings, and savor luxurious foods, and the way it does so is through you. Therefore, your desire for more is in complete congruence with the urge of original substance for more complete expression.
To summarize:
• You must know what you want and form a clear and specific image of it.
• You must remain focused on what you want and think about it often.
• You must have strong desire for the things you wish to create.
• You must have the intent to manifest what you’re thinking about.
• You must have faith that what you’re asking for will be given to you.
• You must claim what you’re asking for as already being yours.
• Remember to ask largely.