The Science Of Getting Rich: Gratitude, Thinking In a Certain Way and Your Will Power
[This is part three of an analysis of the The Science of Getting Rich by Wallace Wattles]
You must have an attitude of gratitude.
To become wealthy, Wallace recommends we must have a thankful attitude. He explains that we must get “in tune” with the universe. We must have a harmonious relationship with whatever represents the formless power that we believe in. This can only be done by saying “thank you” whenever a gift is received. This is the attitude of gratitude.
Why is this important? Having this attitude keeps us in a brighter perspective. Instead of frowning upon what we don’t have, we are forced to look at what we do have. Whenever we appreciate something we have received, a positive feeling is released. This emotion drives us to work harder. It becomes the fuel that invisibly drives us towards our purpose.
…faith is born of gratitude. The grateful mind continually expects good things, and expectation becomes faith. The reaction of gratitude upon one’s own mind produces faith; and every outgoing wave of grateful thanksgiving increases faith.
When you become thankful for the things you get, you energies are directed to the creative aspect of life. You start to have faith. You move out of competitive thinking. You realize that anything is possible for as long as you keep the positive emotions that are started by having a grateful, thankful disposition.
You must think in a certain way.
First you must have a clear picture in your mind of what you what. You must see it - in distinct, vibrant colors if possible. It must not be vague - like “I want to be rich”. It has to be as definite as you can make it.
For example, imagine your bank account statement. You received it from the bank. When you open the envelop you see your current financial standing. You have $1,000,000.00 savings in the bank. See your hand holding the piece of paper with this info written on it. Look at it. Feel its texture and gaze at the bold floating numbers before you. Smell the scent of old paper and glue in your mind, if possible. Stare at it before you.
The clearer it is, the more powerful your drive towards it. The stronger its attraction to you.
Next, you must remember that behind this vision should be a strong and definite force of purpose. In your mind, you are already doing all that you can to get this goal. Daily, you imagine yourself toiling over every small detail that will get you to your vision.
It’s like in sports - you get into ‘the flow’. Time seems to stop. You become unaware of other issues that might distract you. When you play basketball or soccer and become the forward player - you have the ball. Your focus is the goal. You must score. Everything else becomes a blur.
And behind this purpose must be an invincible and unwavering FAITH that the thing is already yours; that it is “at hand” and you have only to take possession of it.
Once you’ve put the goal in your head and have put yourself in “the zone,” you now act in faith. You believe that it will come to you. You KNOW that it will come. Wealth will come. Abundance will reach you. It’s already here and you must simply allow it to flourish.
Your willpower
Wallace impresses two important points about the will. The first one is this:
TO set about getting rich in a scientific way, you do not try to apply your will power to anything outside of yourself.
He simply points out that we must focus on our selves and not on other people. We don’t bend people’s wills to serve our own. We just focus on ourselves and become aware of how to expand our zone of influence.
It is worthwhile to note what Wallace recommends when one tries to help the poor:
The poor do not need charity; they need inspiration. Charity only sends them a loaf of bread to keep them alive in their wretchedness, or gives them an entertainment to make them forget for an hour or two; but inspiration will cause them to rise out of their misery.
Television shows and charity events are therefore not really helpful. These are entertainment - they provide temporary solutions that serve as an “addiction” for the masses. The phrase “Don’t give man fish. Teach him how to fish” become quite apt.
Wallace then points that that we must drive our willpower to attain our vision.:
You can aim at nothing so great or noble, I repeat, as to become rich; and you must fix your attention upon your mental picture of riches, to the exclusion of all that may tend to dim or obscure the vision.
All this simply points out that by having a strong vision of what you want in your thoughts, you energize your willpower. You give it the impetus and the sustaining inertia.
Give your self the psychological strength to move mountains. Be thankful, think right, and empower your will.
These have been the summaries of chapter 7-10. If you want to learn on your own, I highly recommend that you download the audio book of The Science of Getting Rich ($5 on LearnOutLoud.com). Play it on your iPod or MP3 player on your way to the office or while you jog in the morning. I do it everyday now.
Read more analysis of the Science of Getting Rich.
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MoneyMakingThoughts.com is just another website that makes you think about money. This website aims to give you some positive thoughts and inspirations in your quest for abundance and wealth. The belief is you will eventually find your way to money by first thinking ABOUT MONEY.
This is my story of my greatest lesson of gratitude.
One day I was teaching a weekend college course on business start-up. The elevator was broken, so I had to lug my dolley of 4 boxes, by hand, up three flights of stairs. I was outside, and it was a little hot and sunny, but not unbearably unpleasant. I began to complain and grumble about how the school should have the elevators working and so on and so forth. I was angry that I had to go through all of this trouble to get to the top of the stairs.
Then, just as I reached to the top of the stairs, a young man, a quadriplegic, in a wheelchair, paralyzed from the neck down, operating his chair with just the slight movements of his bent-to-the-side neck, saw me and with a big, beautiful smile said to me, “Nice day, isn’t it.” I was stunned with embarrassment. Here I was moaning and groaning with all of my faculties and in perfect health, and here is a young man paralyzed and confined to a wheelchair telling me how pleasant a day it was. From that life-changing moment to this day, I have never complained about any physical labor again. “Only by the grace of God there go I.”