Wallace D. Wattles

Wallace D. Wattles successfully established himself as a New Thought writer, challenging the society’s perception of wealth and poverty. He introduced the world to some of the highest quoted writings and one which inspires different self-help movements. Throughout his life, Wallace believed that being rich or poor is a state of mind. You had to decide whether you wanted to live a life of wealth or you would languish in poverty. Through his book The Science of Getting Rich, the American author maintained that one has to take charge of their thoughts lest they will find themselves in undesirable positions. If you wanted to live happily and wealthy, you had to invest in positive thinking. It is this kind of approach to life that made him a great man.

Personal life and education

Wallace Delois Wattles was born in 1860 and grew to become one of the most successful writers America has ever seen. His daughter, Florence A. Wattles, was fond of him and even published a letter in which she described his father as one of the most inspirational people in his life. In the letter, Florence notes that the father’s death at 51 was untimely, considering he had just published the book called The Science of Being Well the previous year. Wallace grew in his parents’ farm in Illinois and worked as a farm labourer. His mother was a housekeeper and his father, a gardener. He was married to Abbie Walters and had three children.

Writing Career

Wattles was an American writer with the desire to change people’s poor status. To a greater extent, you could say that his childhood must have impacted the majority of his writings. He focused much of his work on developmental books. The Science of Getting Rich is one of his highly-acclaimed books. In the book, the author notes that every man has an obligation to work towards being rich. If you do not want a life of wealth, then you are abnormal. He goes on to explain that The Certain Way of Thinking is the most effective system to become rich. This system involves using thought to yield tangible riches from the formless substance. This book was such a success that Rhonda Byrne due inspiration from it when creating the hit film The Secret.

Every writing that the author released always had titles that reflected their content. Health Through New Thought and Fasting is one great example. Wallace’s bibliography also comprises of Hellfire Harrison and The Science of Being Great.

As a practical author, Wattles always pushed his readers to try out the theories on themselves rather than considering his word to be authority and final. He claimed that he had practically tried out these methods long before publishing the books.

Whether or not his claims were accurate remains debatable. However, what remains a fact is that his writings were very impactful. His daughter Florence described him as a man who formed a mental picture and then worked to ensure the vision is realized. These are the attributes that make one a great writer. It is no wonder Wattles’s books are still being read today.