The Alchemist’s Secret to a Fulfilling Life
In his famous novel, The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho tells the story of a young shepherd boy who wants to travel the world in search of treasure and adventure. In pursuit of his dream, he departs from home and embarks on his journey without any idea of what lies ahead. When he arrives at the Egyptian pyramids, he meets an alchemist, who teaches him four life lessons that ultimately help him find what he’s looking for and ultimately change his life forever.
Give up what you fear most
Most of us go through life afraid of something. Whether it’s public speaking, heights, or simply the unknown, fear can hold us back from living our best lives. So what does the alchemist teach us about overcoming our fears? He teaches us that we should be cautious and aware of the dangers in front of us, but not let them control us. The key is to live with courage and face our challenges head on-even if they are difficult and fearful. For example, Santiago comes across a deep gorge. Though he is terrified of crossing over it, he eventually decides to go for it because he knew he would never have another chance. When I read this passage as an adolescent I didn’t understand why he would do such a thing when there was nothing worth risking his life for on the other side. Now that I’m older and understand my struggles with fear, I can empathize with Santiago much more deeply than before.
Figure out your purpose
The first step is to sit down and think about what you want out of life. What are your goals? What do you hope to achieve? Once you understand what you want, you can start taking steps to make it happen. You don’t need the perfect plan to get started. All you need is the determination and persistence to keep going no matter what gets in your way! One person I know who does this very well is my cousin, Hector. When he graduated from high school, he knew he wanted to become an entrepreneur, so he applied for every startup incubator program he could find. Eventually, one of them accepted him as a member and offered him access to an incredible network of mentors with experience in all different aspects of business management. He spent years putting together his business plan until finally starting his own company: Fubero Apps Incorporated
Nowadays Hector spends his time working on Fubero Apps full-time and feels like he’s living his purpose by following his dreams
As long as you’re willing to put in the work, anything is possible
Want it more than anything else
To achieve our goals, we must desire them more than anything else. The Alchemist taught me that the universe will conspire to help us achieve our dreams, but only if we want them. All of our actions should be in service of our dreams. And when we finally achieve them, it will be because we put in the hard work and made it happen. We can’t just wish for something, or expect it to fall into our laps.
Let nothing stop you
Many people go through life without ever finding their true purpose. They meander through existence, going through the motions day after day, month after month, year after year. Life can be so much more than that. It can be an adventure. It can be exciting and full of meaning. But to have that, you have to be willing to follow your dreams, no matter what. That’s why I believe that the alchemist taught me one of the most important lessons I will ever learn: Let nothing stop you.
Don’t pay attention to naysayers
In life, it’s important to follow your dreams and pursue your passions. Unfortunately, there are always going to be people who try to bring you down and tell you that you can’t do something. But don’t listen to them! If you truly believe in something, then go for it and don’t let anyone stop you. We all have paths we need to take and only we know what is best for us.
The most important thing is to never give up on your dreams, no matter how impossible they may seem. I had given up on my dream of becoming an artist so many times before I finally decided to pursue it- And now I’m making a living from my art! Just because you may not succeed the first time doesn’t mean you won’t eventually find success if you keep trying.
If you want something bad enough, nothing will stand in your way- You just have to be willing to work hard for what you want to get it.
If all else fails, know when to quit
Many people never realize their dreams because they give up too soon. It’s important to know when to quit, but it’s even more important to know when not to quit. The alchemist taught me that the key to a fulfilling life is finding your Personal Legend and following it until the end. If you keep working towards your goal, no matter how difficult it may be, you will eventually achieve it. And, once you achieve your goal, you will be able to look back on your journey and see that all of the hardships were worth it. You can use this perspective to make future decisions that are best for you and those around you. Sometimes I find myself lost in my legend because I’m always trying to accomplish something new. It feels like I’m constantly starting over again as I reach new goals or overcome obstacles in my way. But then I remember what the alchemist told me: If you want something different, stop doing what you’re doing.
