The man who owns all he wants for the living of all the life he is capable of living is rich; and no man who has not plenty of money can have all he wants. Life has advanced so far, and become so complex, that even the most ordinary man or woman requires a great amount of wealth in order to live in a manner that even approaches completeness.
Every person naturally wants to become all that he is capable of becoming; this desire to realize innate possibilities is inherent in human nature; we cannot help wanting to be all that we can be. Success in life is becoming what you want to be; you can become what you want to be only by making use of things, and you can have the free use of things only as you become rich enough to buy them. To understand the science of getting rich is therefore the most essential of all knowledge.
There is nothing wrong in wanting to get rich. The desire for riches is really the desire for a richer, fuller, and more abundant life; and that desire is praiseworthy. The man who does not desire to live more abundantly is abnormal, and so the man who does not desire to have money enough to buy all he wants is abnormal.
There are three motives for which we live; we live for the body, we live for the mind, we live for the soul. No one of these is better or holier than the other; all are alike desirable, and no one of the three - body, mind, or soul - can live fully if either of the others is cut short of full life and expression. It is not right or noble to live only for the soul and deny mind or body; and it is wrong to live for the intellect and deny body and soul.
We are all acquainted with the loathsome consequences of living for the body and denying both mind and soul; and we see that real life means the complete expression of all that man can give forth through body, mind, and soul. Whatever he can say, no man can be really happy or satisfied unless his body is living fully in every function, and unless the same is true of his mind and his soul. Wherever there is unexpressed possibility, or function not performed, there is unsatisfied desire. Desire is possibility seeking expression, or function seeking performance.
Man cannot live fully in body without good food, comfortable clothing, and warm shelter; and without freedom from excessive toil. Rest and recreation are also necessary to his physical life.
He cannot live fully in mind without books and time to study them, without opportunity for travel and observation, or without intellectual companionship.
To life fully in mind he must have intellectual recreations, and must surround himself with all the objects of art and beauty he is capable of using and appreciating.
To life fully in soul, man must have love; and love is denied expression by poverty.
Man's highest happiness is found in the bestowal of benefits on those he loves; love finds its most natural and spontaneous expression in giving. The man who has nothing to give cannot fill his place as a husband or father, as a citizen, or as a man. It is in the use of material things that man finds full life for his body, develops his mind, and unfolds his soul. It is therefore of supreme importance to him that he should be rich.
It is perfectly right that you should desire to be rich; if you are a normal man or woman you cannot help doing so. It is perfectly right that you should give your best attention to the Science of Getting Rich, for it is the noblest and most necessary of all studies. If you neglect this study, you are derelict in your duty to yourself, to God, and to humanity; for you can render God and humanity no greater service than to make the most of yourself.
~The Science of Getting Rich
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How do you define success?
What would you like to be capable of becoming?
What are your untapped possibilities?
Any other thoughts and ideas?
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6 comments:
"love is denied expression by poverty." If this were so Mr. Wattles, over half our planet is not expressing love. I just don't feel that is true. Uh oh..I'm starting to look for things I disagree with and not ideas that I can learn from! I almost had a negative mindset after reading this today, but then I realized that it has me thinking...it's spurring thought and emotion which can ultimately lead to action. I'll grit my teeth through the iffy parts from now on.
I think success is mind, body and spirit in harmony. That makes sense. Does it involve money for that always to be so? I do agree in part with what he says about success and being in a place of giving...I would enjoy being in a comfortable position so I could either give time or money to those around me. That makes me happy. I am capable of doing that..I am ready to do that! Bring it on!
uh-oh my elaborate response got bounced somewhere. i was expounding on the exquisite and elaborate way of life we have witnessed in movies and throughout history of the castle families with the ridiculously oversized rooms, furniture, buildings, clothing, meals, table settings, lifestyles...i was languishing in that luxury and decided i could live like that....in fact i welcome that existence, why not....and my greatest wish is for the poor and the poor of heart and the middle east to be touched by love, the love we in the west are so blessed with knowing...the only love we all find in our own hearts...love, compassion, acceptance for everyone.
How do you define success?
first thing that comes is: Overcoming challenges and obstacles through right-minded purpose in the aim of reaching a stated goal or aim. (meaning there's success in the flow, completion being the attainment, the end.)
2) "love in right-action, performing."
3) Capacity to bring love through, from High, into the world, having allowed purpose to flow in form's movement.
What would you like to be capable of becoming?
Everything.
Tax savvy.
I would like to be capable of becoming more proficient in performing my duties and obligations in order to refine my skills and have greater results of my activities, of all kind.
Regarding becoming rich, i would like to continually increase my capacity for love, for this is what a rich life means to me.
Regarding money, I would like to have the capacity of becoming more organized and consistent in the administration of all aspects of my life, and to have the ability to grow through practice, in the faithful execution of my duties and obligations.
I'd like to be fully capable of being still, but that's another course, maybe (maybe not!)
Allowing the purposefulness of our being to express through the flow of life, having things naturally come through our heart's desires, through mastery, and capacity of deepening love, honor, commitment and purpose.
What are your untapped possibilities?
I guess I could achieve whatever I set my heart and mind to achoeving. Everything's possible, when the barriers of fear and doubt, etc. are steadily overcome.
I feel i'm avoiding answering these questions directly, concretely. I guess this is a barrier I have to explore and overcome.
I see too many barriers in the world, rather than the limitless possibilities that exist in everything, which comes from poor health, mostly these days. It's a change from several years back, so I need to seriously consider how to deal with things in light of how things are at this moment in my life, and not dwell in what I've lost, in terms of ability, heatlh, energy, vitality, etc., and move on!
I disagree. The best things in life are free. Material wealth takes us away from enjoying life.
Karla - I also had to take a step back on the "love is denied expression by poverty" comment. I do think though, that if it's put into the context of say... for example... I love my children and when I cannot provide basic necessities for them - my love is not fully expressed in a MATERIAL way.... so that's one way to look at it.
On the other hand. We do not have to agree with every single word in the book, and there are areas where I find myself in disagreement - this small sentence being one of them.
Mark - again - I'm really enjoying your thoughtful answers! Especially this: Allowing the purposefulness of our being to express through the flow of life, having things naturally come through our heart's desires, through mastery, and capacity of deepening love, honor, commitment and purpose.
And I agree with anonymous - often the best things in life are free. HOWEVER - I don't see how material wealth takes us away from enjoying life. I personally would enjoy my life a lot more if I had a hot water heater in my house that wasn't broken. I'd enjoy my life a lot more if I wasn't driving a car with bad brakes because I can't afford to fix it. I'd enjoy my life a lot more if I didn't have to work so hard just to barely NOT make ends meet! I'd enjoy my life a lot more if I could go to the BEACH if I want to!! I'd enjoy my life more if I had high speed internet instead of crappy dial up... the list goes on and on.
So...
How do you define success?
What would you like to be capable of becoming?
What are your untapped possibilities?
Any other thoughts and ideas?
I define success as doing the best at everything I am doing. ie work, play
at the moment I would like to be a senior director and lose 150 lbs. and learn to speak spanish increase health
untapped possibiti- creativies, teaching, love
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