1st Edition Cover
I recently read The Alchemist by Paolo Coelho. It’s a book I have wanted to read ever since I first learned of it but, like many things, it took time for me to get to it. I loved the book because Coelho’s message is about daring to follow our personal call, no matter how crazy it might seem, nor how difficult. Essentially, his message echoes one of my core coaching mantras: Dare to be different. Dare to be you.
In the first paragraph of his introduction, Coelho writes about trying to establish himself as a writer when all the voices around him were telling him it was impossible. Now he is a world-renowned author and The Alchemist has been translated into 71 languages, sold 65 million copies worldwide and as of the week ending October 28, 2012, the novel reached its 240th week on The New York Times‘ bestseller.
Never let the voices of doubt deter our heart’s desire. Ever.
How many of us have been in similar situations where we had an idea or dream we wanted to pursue but couldn’t find anyone who believed in us? I know I have! Because we are wired toward pack mentality (i.e., consensus), not having support makes it much harder to move toward our desire. What Coelho tells us through his storytelling is that we must follow our call even if it means going out on our own. And that takes courage. Lots of courage.
“We know what we want to do, but are afraid of hurting those around us by abandoning everything in order to pursue our dream.”
Another aspect of Coelho’s book that I loved is that his story speaks of a universal connection. We are one and the same, derived from the same source, able to communicate with animals, wind, the sun and the divine creator (who, by the way, is without gender annotation). It’s a concept that I embrace in my own book, Stories from Spirit. It’s a concept that, like my belief in the importance of following our own path, I accept completely. This metaphysical notion has always pulled at me and, in answering my own call, I follow its path.
Do you feel “something” pulling at you? Is there a path that you’ve admired from afar but never had the courage to enter? What one thing keeps you where you are instead of where you long to be? What would it take for you to dare to be different?
As this year comes to an end and a new one begins, consider what it would take for you to dare to be…you. Make it happen!
Image found here.
Recent Comments