It seems that nearly everyone is excited about, “The Secret.”  The authors have been interviewed and featured on Larry King Live, Ellen, and the Oprah Winfrey show.  Rhonda Byrne discovered, “the secret” of living a successful life after reading, “The Science of Getting Rich,” which you can download right now from this website, or from The Science of Getting Rich NETwork, both free of charge, and read for yourself.

Like Oprah, I’ve known “the secret” most of my life, I just didn’t know it was a secret.  I can’t say that I’ve lived it as well as Oprah, (!) or followed it as closely as I would have like to.  Obviously, living according to the laws and principles of “The Secret” has worked for many successful people throughout history and if everyone lived according to this philosophy, we would definitely have a better world in many aspects.

My first introduction to the law of attraction, which is “the secret” by the way, was from Napoleon Hill’s, Think and Grow Rich.  But after watching “The Secret,” I developed a curiosity for, “The Science of Getting Rich.”  So I found it, downloaded it, and now I’m going to evaluate if for you over the next seven posts.

One common frustration of trying to read a book that was first published in 1910 is that the language can be difficult to understand and follow.  (It’s sort of like reading the King James Version of the Bible.)  I do like the fact that there is absolutely no “fluff” in the book whatsoever – no beating around the bush, no setting you up for the fall, no covert marketing, not in the original text, anyway!  But I thought it might be helpful to boil it down for you, giving you the gold nuggets of information that you can and should apply immediately to your life.  Also, as is consistent with my writing style, I am going to give you a more step-by-step process.  I will list one step per post, summarizing all seven steps at the end so that you have something to print out and keep with you.

Ready?  Here we go, then:  Debra Moorhead’s summary and comments on “The Science of Getting Rich,” originally written by Wallace D. Wattles, now owned by Rebecca Fine.

Mr. Wattles spends the first three chapters of his book convincing us that we have a right to be rich.  This is important because many people think of getting rich as something evil and, therefore, to be avoided.  He points out that being poor is not noble and that being satisfied when you’re poor by saying that you’re “rich with friends” or some other contrite excuse doesn’t cut it either.  He does say that, “Success in life is becoming what you want to be,” but goes on to explain that it is very difficult, if not impossible, to become all you want to be without money.  Money, and plenty of it, is the key.

The first step toward getting rich, is “to acquire the ability to think the way you want to think.”  In other words, control your thoughts.  Wattles then gives a very thought-provoking statement, that caused me to stop reading for a moment because I had to wrap my brain around it.  Before I give it to you, I want to share a story that will illustrate his point perfectly.

I have a cousin named Terry.  A few years ago, Terry was featured in a local newspaper because he was named head of janitorial services at a day-care center.  One of the questions the reporter asked him during his interview was, “Mr. McKee, what made you believe that you could one day become the head of this department?”  My cousin Terry responded with, “What would make me think I couldn’t?”

Now, I know what you’re thinking.  “Gee, Debra.  How pathetic is the rest of your family if you’re proud of this cousin who’s just a janitor?”  Well, you see, one of the questions that a lot of people have about living a life of purpose is “what if everyone lived a life of purpose – who would pick up our garbage, who would dig ditches, who would do (basically) all the dirty work that most of us feel like we’re too good to do?”

My cousin is proud of his work.  When a child vomits, Terry runs, literally runs, to clean it up.  He understands the fact that vomit is full of germs that could easily be passed on to another child.  He understands that the longer he waits to do his job, the more people, mostly children, are at risk of acquiring an illness.  Terry takes his job very seriously because he knows the truth.  The truth is that Terry’s job is extremely important to the well-being of everyone who comes into contact, in any way, with that day care center.

Now, for Mr. Wattles’ thought-provoking statement, it is this:  “And to think what you want to think is to think TRUTH, regardless of appearances.”

You see, it would appear that my cousin is “just a janitor.”  It may even appear to you that he glorifies his job, and thinks more highly of himself than he should as a janitor.  The amazing thing to me is that Terry is able to focus on his job, because he knows the TRUTH – the fact that people would get sick if he didn’t do his job well.  What’s even more amazing to me is that Terry is able to understand and focus on the truth even though he has Down’s Syndrome.  When he was born, his parents were told he would only live to be about 16 years old.  He is now 39.  When he started school, he was told he could never learn anything of significance.  His mother home-schooled him.  When he first applied for a job, he was told he didn’t need to work because he could draw welfare.  Obviously, another appearance, not a truth.

We create everything in existence with our thoughts.  “I think, therefore I am,” said Descartes.  He did not say, “I appear, therefore I am,” yet many of us think that because we were born, because we “arrived on the scene,” that that alone explains our existence.  That we’re merely here to react to everyone else’s perceptions of us.  There was a time when nearly everyone believed the earth was flat.  It certainly appeared that way, didn’t it?  In fact, it still does when you look out over an ocean.  Doesn’t it make sense then, that there are many things that appear a certain way to us, but are actually waiting for us to discover the TRUTH?

I want to share one more story with you and then I’ll let you go think about your own truths.  If you’ve ever been in a sales training course you’ve probably heard this one before.  An innovative clothing company sent two salespeople to a remote island to sell shoes.  The first individual arrives and notices that none of the natives are wearing shoes.  He radios the boat to come back and pick him up saying that there are no sales to be made because none of the people wear shoes.  The second sales professional arrives and immediately calls his home office and says, “Send me every pair of shoes in the factory – we’re going to be rich!  No one here owns even the first pair of shoes!”

Appearances will deceive you; the truth, by its very nature, never will.  Focus your thinking on the truth, regardless of appearances.  This is the first step to getting rich.

Until next time,
Live Joyfully!

Posted under Education, Inspiration, Leadership, Motivation