I’m sure that at some stage in life everyone would have had or still has dreams about the ultimate goal that they want to achieve or the type of person they want to be.

Some of us dream to be rock stars, travel the world, while others might have secret dreams about becoming a secret agent of some sort. There are thousands of possibilities when it comes to personal aspirations.

There’s a saying “Whatever you can dream, you can achieve!”

… or something along those lines.

So what’s your ultimate dream in life? Are you still pursuing it or have you given up and see it as an unreachable goal?

A few weeks ago, I read a book by Paulo Coelho – The Alchemist. It is about a boy who tried everything to reach for his dreams.

I read books as much as I can no matter how busy I am because I believe that reading is knowledge no one else can teach you. Although I am not much into fiction books, I am happy I picked up The Alchemist instead of another business book.

ABOUT THE BOOK AND THE AUTHOR

The author, Paulo Coelho, is from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and it is believed that The Alchemist is somehow paralleled to his personal life journey. He had always wanted to be a writer but his parents were against it and his dad wanted him to be an engineer. In turn, he was sent to a mental institution at the age of 17 to “straighten him out”. Good thing, he was able to escape and had the chance to travel all over the world.

There was also a time in his life where he was abducted and tortured due to his strong belief in free expression, but he never lost that fire in his heart to advocate for what he believes in.

A few years later, he changed not only his life but also the lives of millions of people all over the globe.

The Alchemist was originally written in Portuguese but is now translated to around 70 different languages and sold around 70 million copies.

WHAT IS IT ABOUT

I don’t want to spoil it for you. I’ll just give you a gist of the whole story, so you will still be inspired to read it yourself.

The story revolves around a young man named Santiago. He grew up in a beautiful family and had a basic life with his parents.

Santiago is a shepherd who had recurring dreams about his destiny of finding a treasure. He, then, sold all his valuables and sheep to pursue his dream. On his way, he met an old king who gave him an advice and offered him a magic stone.

He had his ups and downs as he made his way to the Pyramid of Egypt.

MY THOUGHTS…

For me, the world, especially right now, needs hope and positivity, and that’s exactly what The Alchemist is all about.

The book really left a huge impression on me after I read it. I remember a few years ago I was at a loss trying to chase my dreams, but I never gave up and now I am in a better place.

The book embarks that the journey to your destiny is as important, if not more, as the destiny itself.

Overall, The Alchemist is a great and inspiring book. It deserves more attention and love than it has.