He who would bring home the wealth of the Indies must carry the wealth of the Indies with him.

This quote is a metaphor that suggests that in order to gain wealth or success, one must first possess the qualities, skills, or knowledge that produce such wealth or success. The “wealth of the Indies” refers to immense value and riches. In other words, you cannot expect to acquire significant achievement without first having something of value within yourself.

In practical terms, it implies that if you want to succeed in any area (like business), you must first have the necessary skills and knowledge (the ‘wealth’) in that area. For example, if someone wants to be a successful entrepreneur, they need to have entrepreneurial skills and business acumen – they can’t expect success without these prerequisites.

Applying this concept in today’s world could look like investing time into personal development before expecting external success. It might involve gaining an education before striving for a high-paying job or practicing an instrument before expecting performance-level skill.

In terms of personal development, this quote suggests the importance of self-improvement and continuous learning as preconditions for achieving your goals. If your goal is financial independence for instance; gaining financial literacy should be your primary focus – understanding how money works; how investments work; learning about savings & budgeting etc., because these are the ‘wealth’ you need to carry with you on your journey towards financial freedom.

Therefore it’s about preparing oneself adequately before embarking on any pursuit aimed at acquiring wealth or achieving any form of success. It encourages us not just aim at the end result but also pay attention on building ourselves up adequately for what we aspire towards.