The Formless Substance: A Limitless Source of Wealth

This article is an excerpt from the Shortform book guide to "The Science of Getting Rich" by Wallace D. Wattles. Shortform has the world's best summaries and analyses of books you should be reading.

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What is the formless substance? Is the resource limitation theory true? 

The formless substance is God, and he favors the advancement and success of every intelligent being. You become wealthy and successful when the formless substance expresses itself through you. According to The Science of Getting Rich, resource limitation is a myth because the formless substance created plenty of resources for everyone.

Read on to discover more about the role of the formless substance.

The Formless Substance

Everything in the universe—you, your house, the planets—is made out of the same stuff, “formless Substance.” It is also known as the original substance. The formless Substance is God. It is alive and intelligent. It manifests thoughts into tangible forms. For example, when the Original Substance thought of planets, physical planets formed.

By nature, the formless Substance and God favor the advancement and improvement of every intelligent being, from oak trees to dolphins to you. As a result, it’s perfectly natural, even dutiful, for you to pursue wealth. You need money to buy the resources that will help you improve yourself. Your advancement is Original Substance expressing itself vicariously through you. You need to be rich in the same way a seed needs to grow into a flower. If you’re not rich, you’ll never have enough access to resources, and you’ll never achieve a full and successful life.

Advancing Yourself

There are three main aspects of our existence, all of them equally important, and all of which require money to develop:

  • Mind. You develop your mind by appreciating art, studying books, and traveling.
  • Body. You take care of your body by sheltering it, clothing it, feeding and watering it, and resting.
  • Soul. You develop your soul through love. The best way to express love is to give other people material gifts.

For example, if you want to paint something beautiful, and therefore develop your mind, you’ll need an easel, paints, and other art supplies, all of which require money to purchase. 

The Myth of Resource Limitation

God isn’t done. He didn’t create the world and then step away, leaving the planet with limited resources. Because life is always advancing, and everything is made up of limitless Original Substance, resource limitation is a myth.

There are plenty of resources for everyone, and if the planet ever did run out of something, the formless Substance could simply create more. If there are existing channels for creation, Original Substance will work through these. For example, diamonds are formed by applying heat and pressure to carbon, and Original Substance works through this existing process to create diamonds. If there is no existing method for creating something, the Original Substance creates it from its own substance.

Competition vs. Creation

Because Original Substance is limitless and there’s more than enough to go around, no one has to compete with anyone else to become rich. 

In fact, competition is an unfavorable method for becoming rich. The Original Substance will never give you things by taking them away from others. Therefore, if you compete, you can only succeed via luck, and your success won’t last.

Creation is the guaranteed method for becoming rich. Instead of competing with someone for something, go in a different direction. The formless Substance will favor you with opportunities. For example, if you’re the employee of a railroad company, don’t try to become the owner. Instead, look for opportunities elsewhere. You might find success in another industry.

The Formless Substance: A Limitless Source of Wealth

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Joseph Adebisi

Joseph has had a lifelong obsession with reading and acquiring new knowledge. He reads and writes for a living, and reads some more when he is supposedly taking a break from work. The first literature he read as a kid were Shakespeare's plays. Not surprisingly, he barely understood any of it. His favorite fiction authors are Tom Clancy, Ted Bell, and John Grisham. His preferred non-fiction genres are history, philosophy, business & economics, and instructional guides.

2 thoughts on “The Formless Substance: A Limitless Source of Wealth

  • June 24, 2023 at 3:39 pm
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    Hello how can I see the rest of the article?

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    • June 29, 2023 at 9:54 pm
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      Hi Ian! Thanks for visiting our site. If you subscribe to Shortform, you can read the rest of our book guide for The Science of Getting Rich. That includes the rest of this article’s content and so much more. Plus, you’ll get access to a ton of other book guides filled with actionable insights.

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