3 Life Lessons from The Alchemist You Should Implement in Your Life
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho is one of the best-selling books in history. I have heard so much about this book over the years but failed to read it until last week. It’s a rather short book, but it is packed with so much wisdom. This is a book that will inspire you to follow your dreams.
The Alchemist tells the story of Santiago, a Shepard boy that goes on a journey to the Pyramids of Egypt in search of a hidden treasure he dreamt about. Finding this treasure is his “Personal Legend”/ destiny. As he travels, he meets a king, a crystal merchant, an Englishman, and an Alchemist that help him along his journey and share with him several life lessons and words of wisdom.
There are many life lessons sprinkled throughout the story, but I will share 3 lessons that stood out to me.
1. Don’t worry about what others think.
The book makes it clear that (1) everyone has a “personal legend”/ destiny; (2) we discover that destiny early in our lives; (3) to realize one’s destiny is a person’s only real obligation and (4) when you really want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it. However, at some point, people start to believe that it will be impossible for them to realize their destiny.
Very early in the story, Santiago meets an old man who claims to be the King of Salem. In his conversation with the old man, the old man tells him that,
“Everyone, when they are young, knows what their destiny is. At that point in their lives, everything is clear and everything is possible. They are not afraid to dream, and to yearn for everything they would like to see happen to them in their lives. But, as time passes, a mysterious force begins to convince them that it will be impossible for them to realize their destiny.”
As their conversation progresses, Santiago tells the old man about a girl he is interested in and how parents would prefer their children to marry a baker than to marry a shepherd because “bakers have homes, while shepherds sleep out in the open”
The old man responds to him by saying:
“In the long run, what people think about shepherds and bakers becomes more important for them than their own destinies.”
This is where lesson #1 comes in. Don’t worry about what people think about your dreams. Don’t let people’s perception of your destiny keep you from going on that journey towards realizing your dreams.
Your personal legend originates from the soul of the universe. Fulfilling your personal legend is the deepest desire of your heart and will lead to happiness, so why let other people’s opinion stop you.
As Paulo Coelho put it,
“You will never be able to escape from your heart. So, it’s better to listen to what it has to say.”
2. Focus on your own journey
“Everyone seems to have a clear idea of how other people should lead their lives, but none about his or her own.”
With social media, everyone can give their opinion about anything. And everyone can share their personal journey with the world. But it is important that even while taking in opinions and advice from others you must remain true to the purpose, cause or belief behind what you are doing.
I think it’s great to get advice from people, but don’t try and replicate someone else’s journey. Don’t follow blindly the advice of others. Always make decisions based on what aligns with YOUR purpose.
3. Just Make a Decision
“When someone makes a decision, he is really diving into a strong current that will carry him to places he has never dreamed of when he first made the decision.”
Decision making can be a challenge for many. When faced with multiple options, how do you make the “right” decision?
The simple answer is that you just have to pick one.
There is no way of knowing where each alternate decision will lead you, so you just have to pick the choice that feels right at that moment and go all-in on that decision. Make sure it is what YOU want and not what other people expect from you. And always follow your gut.
There is nothing worse than being paralysed by indecision, so just make a choice, go all-in on that decision and own it. You can always change direction is needed.
In conclusion
1. Don’t let other people’s perception of your dream stop you from pursuing it.
2. Focus on your own journey. Only you know what is right for your journey
3. When struggling to make a decision, just pick one. You will never know where each alternate decision will take you. So just pick one and go all-in.
