When I first read the Science of Getting Rich by Wallace D Wattles, I was instantly struck by the fact that there was absolutely no reason that I should not become rich myself. Before that moment, somehow, I had not really understood what caused people to become rich and so I guess I had never properly considered the reality that it would be possible for me too.

The book begins with a thorough examination into the actual causes of wealth; and demolishes some very commonly-held beliefs and opinions along the way. He spells out why becoming rich does not actually relate to the sort of advantages traditionally believed by many to be the causes – things like status, intelligence, connections and so on. His structured argument on the causes of wealth is a truly impressive opening.

Once he has dispelled many of the myths relating to the creation of wealth, he reveals his own assessment of the real cause which he says involves doing things in the right way. He draws this conclusion because there are people making money in every field of activity, just as there are people losing money doing the same things.

The amazing proposition he advances is that absolutely anyone who can learn to do things in, what he calls, the ‘certain way’ can become rich. Although he does not really emphasise the matter, he also strongly suggests that to become rich, you really need to be in business.

He says that you need to give every person with whom you deal more in use-value than you take in cash-value. Theres a key principle right there, of course, concerning over-delivering, but it strikes me that the spirit of the language is naturally directed toward people who trade in some way i.e. those in business for themselves.

It is self-evident, when to come to think about it, that you are very unlikely to become rich whilst you are working for another person. Quite simply, you are being paid the market-rate for your job; if you are lucky, you are being paid the market rate for your skills – but that’s it. You will never be paid more than that while you have a job.

On the other hand, when you work for yourself, there is no top limit. There are plenty of challenges, of course, but theres no top limit on your income as there is at present. The time is right I believe, with the age of the internet, for ordinary people to seize the day and make their fortunes because it has never been easier to start a business than it is on the internet.

Wallace D Wattles’ teachings can easily be translated to doing business on the web. Using his simple principles like being focussed on what you want, taking effective action and over-delivering in every business transaction, many people are applying the Science of Getting Rich to their lives and seeing quite a transformation.