Have you ever thought about the decision moments in your life?
Do you live on autopilot or do you make conscious decisions?
Are you living in alignment with your passion?
Or are your daily habits guiding you?
Everyone has things they want to do but are too afraid to pursue or cannot attempt because they are stuck in their comfort zone.
Because none of us were created just to follow cycles like working a 9-to-5 job, making money, buying a house, taking vacations…
That’s why most people are unhappy with their lives and what they do.
Everyone wants to write their own story and live a fulfilling life.
However, while some take control of their lives, others settle for just watching.
This is exactly what “The Alchemist” deals with.
Our hero, Santiago, is a young man from Andalusia, Spain, who is receiving priestly education but is unhappy with it.
He tells his father that he doesn’t want to become a priest. And instead he wants to travel the world.
His father gives him a pouch of gold coins.
And he suggests that he can buy a flock of sheep and travel as a shepherd.
Santiago gets what he desires and begins wandering from place to place with his flock.
As he continues his journey, he starts thinking about marrying the daughter of a merchant who shears his sheep. And he waits for the right time to propose.
However, a few days before that moment arrives, he sleeps under a sycamore tree inside an ruined church and has the same dream two nights in a row.
Fascinated by the dream, Santiago seeks out a fortune teller to interpret it. But he is left disappointed.
Later, he encounters an old man who introduces himself as the King of Shalem.
He tells the man about his dream and aspirations.
The old man advises him to embark on his journey, explaining that everyone has a Personal Legend and must strive to fulfill it.
Motivated by this encounter, Santiago sells his sheep and begins his journey to the Egyptian pyramids.
During his journey, he loses his all money. He works in a crystal shop to earn it bac.
And he faces various hardships while crossing the desert.
Along the way, he also makes many friends.
He crosses the desert with an “Englishman” who is fascinated by alchemy and is searching for the Alchemist.
In an oasis where they stop and find the Alchemist, Santiago meets Fatima.
And he wishes to marry her.
However, Fatima tells him that she will wait for him and that he must complete his journey first.
Santiago continues his journey, crosses the desert, and reaches the pyramids.
While digging for treasure, he is beaten by thieves, and when they ask why he is there, he tells them about his dream.
One of the thieves then laughs and tells him that he, too, had a dream twice about a treasure buried under a sycamore tree in an ruined church.
But never thought of crossing the desert for something so absurd.
At that moment, Santiago realizes that the treasure has been at the place he started all along.
However, to reach it, he had to live through his own story.
The author presents Santiago’s journey with a mystical and philosophical narrative.
What I love most about “The Alchemist “book is how beautifully it conveys that no matter what happens during our journey, God opens new doors for us and allows us to experience new things.
Even the obstacles placed in our path bring us incredible lessons and enrich our journey.
Santiago’s story ultimately teaches us that the real treasure is not in reaching the goal. But in the experiences gained along the way.
Life is not just about achieving a goal.
Rather, it is about what we discover, what we do, the relationships we build, and who we become along the way.
Believing that happiness comes only from reaching a goal erases the value of all experiences along the journey.
Goals are important, but the journey and progress are even more significant.
What truly makes us happy is what we gain and experience throughout this journey of life.
As Tony Robbins says: “Progress = Happiness.”
“The Alchemist” encourages you to overcome your fears, embark on your unknown life journey, and embrace new experiences.
After reading it, you’ll feel excited to find your own Personal Legend and start your own journey.
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