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Manifestation

Hill, Wattles and Autosuggestion

A definite desire, a plan and a statement read aloud twice a day.

Where it comes from

Wallace D. Wattles published The Science of Getting Rich in 1910, teaching “creative thought” and gratitude. Napoleon Hill's Think and Grow Rich (1937) turned similar ideas into six practical steps. Both drew on Émile Coué, a French pharmacist whose method of conscious autosuggestion (“Every day, in every way, I'm getting better and better”) was popular in the early 1920s.

Key books

  • Wallace D. Wattles, The Science of Getting Rich (1910)
  • Napoleon Hill, Think and Grow Rich (1937)
  • Émile Coué, Self Mastery Through Conscious Autosuggestion (1920s)

The core idea

A clear, burning desire, repeated to yourself until it becomes a conviction, directs your attention and effort. Hill called it a definite chief aim; Wattles added that gratitude keeps you connected to what you want.

How to practise it

  1. 1Write exactly what you want, with a clear measure.
  2. 2Decide what you will give or do in return.
  3. 3Set a date.
  4. 4Make a plan and start it now, ready or not.
  5. 5Write all of this as a short statement.
  6. 6Read it aloud twice a day, on waking and before sleep, and picture it as you read.

What it can help with

  • Turning a wish into a concrete goal with a date and a plan
  • Daily focus on one priority
  • Building a habit of acting on your goals

Further reading