In the first week of its release in 1988, only one person bought a copy from a local bookseller of the now classic The Alchemist by Brazilian writer Paulo Coelho. One more copy was bought from that same person six months later. After one year, his publisher cancelled Coelho’s contract. He was 41 and desperate.
However, this living legend never lost faith in his dream or his book, in spite of ingrained beliefs. He writes in his introduction, “we are told from childhood that everything we want to do is impossible. We grow up with this idea, and as the years accumulate, so too do the layers of prejudice, fear, and guilt. There comes a time when our personal calling is so deeply buried in our soul as to be invisible. But it’s still there.”
Despite defeats and his fears, he went from one publisher to the next, and his book was picked up by U.S. publisher HarperCollins. After a time, President Bill Clinton was photographed with a copy. Julia Roberts commented about The Alchemist during an interview for Vanity Fair magazine. With acclaims from Rush Limbaugh to Will Smith, The Alchemist became a phenomena. The book hit a milestone by being on the New York Times bestseller list for over 300 weeks and is now an international bestseller translated into more than 80 languages.
As Coelho describes in the Introduction, “A man sets out on a journey, dreaming of a beautiful or magical place, in pursuit of an unknown treasure. At the end of his journey, he realizes the treasure was within him the entire time.”
Each year, hundreds of thousands walk the Camino in Spain or Portugal. I became enchanted with this quest in another of his international bestsellers The Pilgrimage, a novel that blends adventure with self-mastery.
Regardless if you choose to fulfill your heart’s desire or enjoy better health, a loving relationship, financial prosperity or happiness, may you be inspired to live your dream!
Enjoy these quotes by Paulo Coelho.
“It’s the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting.”
“And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”
“There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure.”
“Don’t give in to your fears. If you do, you won’t be able to talk to your heart.”
“Remember that wherever your heart is, there you will find your treasure.”
“Don’t waste your time with explanations: people only hear what they want to hear.”
“If you want to be successful, you must respect one rule – Never lie to yourself.”
“When I had nothing to lose, I had everything. When I stopped being who I am, I found myself.”
“There is one great truth on this planet: whoever you are, or whatever it is that you do, when you really want something, it’s because that desire originated in the soul of the universe. It’s your mission on earth.”
“One day you will wake up and there won’t be any more time to do the things you’ve always wanted. Do it now.”
I work with people who choose to share their gifts or business in a BIGGER way but don’t know how, feel stuck or could use new tools or support.
I help them be richly compensated doing what
they love by discovering their Soul’s goals.
Copyright © 2018 Virginia Goszewska. All rights reserved.
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