The Science behind

The Science Of Getting Rich

First published in 1910, Wallace D. Wattles’ classic laid the groundwork for later prosperity bestsellers. It inspired countless seekers- including Tony Robbins, Bob Proctor, Jen Sincero, and, most notably, Rhonda Byrne, creator of The Secret.

Over one hundred years later, Edward Vilga has created a modern reading edition with light language updates, chapter summaries, curated resources, and — most importantly — 40 days of journal prompts.

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The Question:
How much “science” is there in The Science of Getting Rich (SGR)?

The Answer:
More than you might expect.

Journaling

The Science: Expressive writing: goal encoding; cognitive reframing; behavior change.

Wattles anchors prosperity in disciplined daily practice; journaling operationalizes that practice and reliably supports clarity, emotion regulation, and follow-through.

1.

Gratitude

The Science: Positive psychology; wellbeing; optimism; pro-social behavior.

Wattles places gratitude at the center of his method; contemporary research links gratitude to improved mood, resilience, and action readiness.



"The grateful mind is constantly fixed upon the best; therefore it tends to become the best."

SGR, Chapter 7

2.

Purpose

The Science: Goal-setting theory; motivation neuroscience; self- determination.

Wattles emphasizes holding a definite purpose with specificity; modern science shows precise goals increase persistence, focus, and achievement.




"The very best thing you can do for the whole world is to make the most of yourself."
-
SGR Chapter 5

3.

Visualization

The Science: Mental rehearsal; neuroplasticity; performance imagery; expectancy mechanisms.

Wattles instructs readers to hold a clear mental image; modern imagery practice activates execution-related neural circuits and improves real-world performance.



"You must form a clear and definite mental picture of what you want."
-
SGR Chapter 4

4.

Faith

The Science: Expectancy effects; placebo/nocebo; learned optimism; Pygmalion effects.

In SGR, faith functions as pragmatic expectancy; what we expect shapes behavior, and behavior shapes outcomes— creating measurable self-fulfilling effects.



"Faith is formed by the affirmation of the mind.”
-
SGR Chapter 10



5.

Daily Action

The Science: Habit formation; implementation intentions; compounding effects.

Wattles insists on daily, high-quality effort; behavioral science validates that small, consistent actions—structured as if-then plans—compound into outsized results and answer the critique that mindset alone is enough.



"Do every day all that can be done that day."
-
SGR Chapter 12

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