Principle #1:

WEALTH CANNOT BE CREATED OR DESTROYED. IT ALREADY EXISTS.

When you think about wealth and how it works, you soon discover that it is very similar to energy — it cannot be created or destroyed. Rather, it is constantly changing form and changing hands. Wealth is something that already exists in one form or another and has been accessed or harnessed by one person or another. We all know that we cannot take wealth with us when we die, so it is always left behind in some form to someone. Think of the farmer who trades his labor for money. He then trades his money for some land and seeds. He sows the seeds and they become produce. He sells the produce and buys a cow. He sells milk that he gets from the cow and receives money, which he uses to buy more land and seeds so he can produce more crops and sell them for more money. You get the point. Wealth is always changing form and always changing hands.

So why is it so important to understand this principle? There are many reasons, but one of the most important is that there are many who promote the false concept that wealth is a zero sum game. They want you to believe that there is only so much to go around. They teach that if someone else has it, you will have to go without unless you take it from them. Under the guise of equality, they preach that wealth should be redistributed so that everyone has the same amount. These people are either ignorant or part of something far more sinister. Either they don't understand the governing laws of wealth or they are trying to deceive and control you. Don't listen to them. A power plant doesn't have energy; it generates it. The same is true of you. You don't have wealth — you generate it!

Using Wealth for Good

If we want to be wealthy, we must learn the principles that govern wealth. We must learn to access, harness, and use it for good. What goes around comes around. When we use wealth for good, it ends up coming back to us in many forms and in many ways and ultimately creates more wealth for everyone. The worst thing we can do with wealth is to hoard it. It only fulfills its potential when it is kept in circulation.

Consider the following. I have heard that luck is what you get when preparation and opportunity come together. That being said, I believe that wealth is what you get when a good idea and proper resources come together.

A great idea is one that solves problems, meets a need, or fulfills a desire. Resources are all around us, but until someone comes up with a great idea on how to use the resources to solve problems, they just lie dormant. However, when the idea and resources come together, they generate wealth.

Take the concept of the railroad, for instance. The railroad is made up of ore that was mined and refined into steel. The steel was made into rails that were laid upon the backs of timber to support the heavy steel. Metal was also used to build powerful engines and boxcars to haul precious commodities from one end of this country to the other. The railroad was one great idea after another, turning raw resources into usable products that solved problems and met needs and desires. It's impossible to measure how much wealth has been generated by the ideas and resources that created the railroad.

Another wealth-generating union involves what I call a second-generation idea and resources. In this case, the money is already there. It is just looking for a problem to solve or a need to meet. At the same time, someone else has a great idea and is looking for the money needed to put the idea into action and bring their combined problem-solving ability to life.

When a young preacher named Frank W. Gunsaulus preached a sermon entitled "What I Would Do If I Had a Million Dollars," little did he know that a wealthy gentleman by the name of Phillip D. Armour was present in the congregation and very interested in the preacher's message. When Mr. Armour's money and Mr. Gunsaulus' idea came together, the Armour Institute of Technology was created. Because of a great idea and the necessary resources coming together, many lives were enriched. This second-generation idea and resources allowed access to a great deal of wealth.

How Does This Apply to You?

So how does this apply to you? When you think of wealth, don't simply wish you had it. Think of a problem that needs to be solved, a need that could be met, or a desire that could be fulfilled. When you consider a problem to solve, be sure that it is one you feel passionate about, something you could put your heart, mind, and strength into. Then, use your imagination and create a way to make it happen. Envision the resources that would be necessary to implement the idea. Consider every possible detail, and begin working to...