By Wallace Wattles

The primary reason I would recommend that you read this book is not to agree with all the philosophies presented within it.  It is because I believe that this book will challenge you – it is only 63 pages long, but it is a very intense read and will expand your awareness of your own conscious and sub-conscious philosophies and maybe after reading it, one small point of clarity could have a profound impact on your life, it did for me …..

It is not often that I review a classic book, written over 100 years ago, whilst the style of language is dated, it carries with it a profound philosophy and timeless words of wisdom.

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When Wallace Wattles died in 1911 the year in which this book was published, on the day of his funeral that every single business in his bustling hometown of Elwood Tennessee decided to close for business. This sums up the profound impact Wattle had on the community in which he had lived and worked. Wattles started his working life as a poorly educated labourer, his life demonstrated that he truly understood greatness. In this book and his other possibly better known book ‘The Science of getting Rich’ he emphasises that the wealth he achieved was a biproduct of his philosophical principles and his focus to be the greatest version of himself. 

To give it some context Wallace Wattles was born in 1860, he was not well educated and started his career as a farm labourer and yet he became immensely wealthy businessman and author, who was genuinely loved by his family community and those he conducted business with.

This is all no mean feat when you consider his background and the era, he grew up in. His more famous book was ‘The Science of Getting Rich’. However, his wealth was a biproduct of what this book is about ‘being great’, not being great in some egocentric way, but in a way that makes everyone who knew you want to, on the day of your funeral, close their businesses as a sign of gratitude for who you were. People can only want to spontaneously behave in such a way if you were truly great, it is nothing to with being famous or wealthy, being great is about serving others. 

Here is a taste of a few examples of some of Wattles profound principles of ‘being great’:

• You must have clear principles that guide you to do what is the right thing for you. Even if those around you do not agree or are behaving differently greatness comes from the will to do the right thing no matter what!
• The right thing to do is a ‘spiritual insight for truth’.
• We are all god as god is within all of us, no one is better or worse than us, they are just different.
• The brain does not think the man does; the man’s spirit is the source of thought.
• A great man or woman is one who is driven from within and is not the victim of external circumstance.
• Poverty is no bar to greatness.

“Do not let other people decide what you are to be. Be what you feel that you want to be!”

In Chapter 6 ‘The Social Point of View’ 
Wattle reveals what I found to be possibly his most profound pearl of wisdom: 
“… the world and all it contains is perfect, though not complete.”
In just 3 pages Wattle explains his reasoning behind this powerful philosophy, a philosophy that will without doubt challenge many people’s beliefs. He explains that even the most apparent injustices and challenges in the world have an upside. He views everything as in the process of becoming complete.

“There are no bad or evil people, there are simply people that are ‘off the track’.”

Imagine the impact choosing this philosophy over traditional assumptions such as ‘people are either good or evil’?

Other noteworthey philosophies that Wattle explains in the book include:

• “You are a god, in the company of other gods and you should conduct yourself accordingly.” 
• Be humble and live with a great attitude!
• You become in the outer world what you hold yourself to be in your inner world.

This book was Wattles last published book, published in the same year he that he died 1911. It represents a profound legacy as one of the earliest ‘Personal Empowerment’ books it is still empowering people today.

The philosophy Wattle presents in this book, empowered him to chose to be ‘great within’ when he was an uneducated labourer this consistent empowered state of inner greatness led to him to achieve the most improbable external successes as a businessman and author.

Even though this book is only 63 pages long!  It is very intense and will challenge you to review and reflect on your philosophies of life, the philosophies that define the very essence of your life experience.