THE SECRET LAW OF ATTRACTION: The First Original Revelation of the Law of Attraction - Prentice Mulford (1886)

THE LAW OF SUCCESS: The Original 1886 Revelation of the Secret Law of Attraction - By Prentice Mulford (1886). 

THE FIRST WORK EVER WRITTEN ABOUT THE LAW OF ATTRACTION:

Prentice Mulford was the First Articulator of The Law of Attraction as general principle. Mulford, a pivotal figure in the development of New Thought thinking, discusses the Law of Attraction at length in his essay "The Law of Success" published in 1886.

The Birth of the Law of Attraction More than a century before "The Secret" took the world by storm, Prentice Mulford—the unsung architect of New Thought philosophy—penned the first definitive work on the Law of Attraction in his 1886 essay "The Law of Success." This groundbreaking text, part of his seminal book Your Forces and How to Use Them, laid the foundation for all modern manifesting teachings.

Mulford didn’t just introduce the concept—he systematized it as a universal principle, linking mental power to success, health, and spiritual awakening. His work predates and influences later giants like Napoleon Hill, Wallace Wattles, and Rhonda Byrne. Unlike diluted modern interpretations, Mulford’s original philosophy merges metaphysical truth with actionable discipline, revealing how thought shapes destiny through immutable cosmic laws.

This exploration uncovers Mulford’s pioneering insights on attraction, success consciousness, and the divine mind within—proving that true wisdom is timeless.   

The Core Teachings: Mulford’s Original Laws:

1. The Law of Attraction: Thought as Creative Force
Mulford’s radical 1886 revelation: "Thoughts are tangible forces—electrical currents that attract their likeness." - He describes the mind as a "magnetic workshop" where ideas materialize through persistent mental picturing.

• Key distinction: Unlike later "wish and wait" approaches, Mulford stresses active mental training—daily visualization, affirmation, and emotional conviction as fuel.
• "What you steadily imagine, you inevitably become. The mind cannot hold an image without moving toward it."    

2. The Law of Success: Aligning with Divine Mind
In The Law of Success, Mulford argues that prosperity is a spiritual obligation—not greed, but alignment with universal abundance.

• Success Blockers: Fear, envy, and "small thinking" repel opportunity.
• Success Accelerators: Gratitude, generosity, and "soul-confidence" (a term he coined) magnetize wealth.
• "The universe is a bank. Your faith is the currency. Doubt bounces the check." 

3. Universal Mind: The God Within
Mulford’s most revolutionary idea: Human consciousness is an extension of Divine Mind.

• You don’t ask the universe—you command it by recognizing your innate creative authority.
• Practical application: "Assume the feeling of the wish fulfilled" (a concept later adopted by Neville Goddard).

4. The Power of Positive Thinking: Mental Chemistry
Decades before Norman Vincent Peale, Mulford detailed how thoughts alter physical reality:

• Negative thoughts → toxic "mental acids" that weaken the body.
• Positive thoughts → "mental alkalines" that heal and attract vitality.
• "Your mind is a pharmacy. Prescribe yourself joy."

5. Self-Confidence as Spiritual Practice
Mulford redefines confidence not as ego, but as surrender to inner divinity:

• "True self-trust is knowing the God in you cannot fail."
• Exercise: Daily declare "I am a success magnet" until subconscious resistance dissolves.

6. Perseverance & Determination: The "Stick-to-It" Principle
Modern LOA often ignores this critical law: Manifestation requires relentless focus.