At one time or another you’ve probably asked yourself, “What is the purpose of my life? What is its meaning? Why am I here on Earth, and what am I supposed to be doing?” Chances are, you work hard, whether you take care of a household or have a job outside of the home.

Your days are filled with seemingly endless chores and tasks like getting the oil changed in your car and going to the grocery store. Perhaps sometimes, when you get tired or stressed out, life can seem like just one long and meaningless “to do” list with a bland retirement and a gold-plated watch at the end of it.

As a Wall Street investment banking executive for many years, I discovered the power of invested capital to create companies, build new industries like biotechnology and the Internet, and create billions in stock market value. But as a business and life coach and spiritual teacher, I realized that our greatest resource is the inner wealth that lies within us — our spiritual or inner qualities such as insight, intuition, vision, and so on. Learning how to awaken and invest this tremendous inner wealth will enable you to reach your goals, increase your income, and find deep personal fulfillment.

As the economy continues its downward spiral, more and more Americans are becoming rattled and unnerved by their financial position. A recent Gallup “Well Being” Poll (September 25) showed that only 40% of Americans are thriving economically, a drop of over 10% in just one month, while 53% of Americans are now struggling, with their basic needs just barely being met.

It seems like now more than ever the value of creating wealth and financial freedom is paramount. But what to do? The real question should be: “What are you here to do?”

We all have a burning desire in us, something that we are meant to do. An obvious example is Donald Trump, somebody who just can’t keep from doing Real Estate. He’ll never retire because he’s in love with the whole process. And of course his success reflects that.

Self love forms the foundation of your single, most important relationship – that with yourself. The strength of all your other relationships is exactly equal to the strength of that foundation. To love yourself is not simply a self esteem boosting piece of advice. It is the prerequisite to truly loving others. The golden rule tells us to “love your neighbor as you love yourself”. You are likely to have heard it many times, expressed in different ways, thinking it is about loving others. Look a little closer though and you will find that at its very center is the command to love yourself.