Title: The Alchemist

Author: Paulo Coelho

First Published: 1988

“When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”

On the surface, The Alchemist tells the simple tale of a young Spanish shepherd, Santiago, who embarks on a quest after dreaming about a hidden treasure underneath the Egyptian pyramids. Along the way, the boy meets some people who teaches him life lessons in one form or another -an old king, a crystal merchant, an Englishman, a woman whom he falls in love with and an alchemist. As Santiago encounters thieves, tribe wars and the desert, he strives to accomplish his Personal Legend (what we’d call our life purpose) while learning alchemy, the language of his heart and working to find his treasure.

“When each day is the same as the next, it’s because people fail to recognise the good things that happen in their lives every day that the sun rises.”

However, the real beauty of this book lies in the underlying message behind Santiago’s journey. In Coelho’s own words on The Alchemist, “It was me in there, all of me, heart and soul.” From the metaphors, wisdom disguised in musings and the simple yet profound writing style, you can see that he has really put his soul into his work.

For me, this is the kind of book that you really have to immerse yourself in to understand the lessons you can learn. You have to reflect it, think about it and you have to want to be taught, in order to be fully impacted.

“Maybe God created the desert so that man could appreciate the date trees.”

What Coelho is trying to tell us through The Alchemist, is that sometimes it’s not the end result or the goal that truly matters, but it’s the moments we make and the things we learn that are most important. Though Santiago ends up with his treasure, we know that he has earned more than just gold coins by the end of this story. Here are some of the most significant lessons I learned from this book:

Make the Decision

“When someone makes a decision, he is really diving into a strong current that will carry him to places he had never dreamed of when he first made the decision.”

All it takes to be one step closer to your life purpose is to make the decision. Sometimes, the events that unfold may be far from even your wildest imaginations, and that’s okay. Unfamiliar situations can be scary, but they’re necessary if you really want to achieve your purpose.

Different Things Work for Different People

“Everyone has his or her own way of learning things.”

If some people become millionaires in their early 20s but you haven’t, doesn’t mean you’re a failure. If your friend thrives in restaurant business, is an award-winning artist or a celebrated athlete, doesn’t mean that you can get to where they are by following their paths. Remember, everyone has their own way of achieveing success and happiness. If something works for someone but doesn’t for you, it doesn’t mean you’re a loser. It just means that you have to forge your own path, find your own way, and maybe it’s gonna take you years longer, but know that you can reach your destination, as long as you believe in yourself.

Focus on the Present

“If you can concentrate on the present, you’ll be a happy man. You’ll see that there is life in the desert, that there are stars in the heavens, and that the tribesmen fight because they are part of the human race. Life will be a party for you, a grand festival, because life is the moment we’re living right now.”

I especially loved this quote, and the simple message it conveys: to be happy, just focus on the present. Don’t dwell on the past, move on, and don’t stress about the future because the only way you can really reach your goal is to maximise your present moment. Of course, it’s essential to reflect on your past mistakes and identify your future goals, but there’s no use beating yourself up for something you did last year or spending hours fearing what the future may (or may not) hold.

Your Success is Contagious

“When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better, too.”

Self-development is a life-long process, and if you always endeavour to better ourselves, you can bet that your life will continue to improve. Whether it’s your lifestyle, career, relationship with others and yourself, these “success” are determined by your will to improve yourself.

Take Actions

“There is only one way to learn. It’s through action.”

You can study, read and ponder all you want, but if you don’t start taking actions, your life today is all it will ever be. How can you improve if you don’t know what you’re capable of today? How can you learn from your mistakes if you don’t go do stuff and make mistakes? Take actions, and then you’ll start learning.

It’s Never Too Late

“Now, I’m beginning what I could have started ten years ago. But I’m happy at least I didn’t wait twenty years.”

As the old saying goes, the best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago, but the second best time is now. No matter how old or late you think you are into the game, it is never too late to start. Whether it’s to learn a new language, travel the world or train for a marathon, you can never regret giving it a shot. Remember that in the end, you’ll only ever regret the things you didn’t do.

“The simple things are also the most extraordinary things, and only the wise can see them.”

All in all, The Alchemist is a pleasant read that’ll take you no more than a couple of days to finish. I think everyone should give it a shot at least once, and no matter who you are or where you are in life, you’ll be sure to learn a thing or two from this well-crafted masterpiece.