Reddit reviews The Alchemist: A Fable About Following Your Dream

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

http://www.amazon.com/Alchemist-Fable-About-Following-Dream/dp/0062502182

The Alchemist

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The Alchemist

The best motivational story, that isn't just motivation. It has multiple lessons in it. It's not a self-help.

I’m there as we speak. The stint between things happening can be so disheartening; leaving you with ample opportunities for doubting and succumbing to a sedentary lifestyle. But it’s just a transitional period. It is during those gaps that a lot of us give up. We put aside our dreams because they don’t happen when we’d prefer. I think that is part of the test. Are you willing to persevere? Are you willing to take it day to day? You have to be. Life doesn’t move as fast as our minds, so we have to adapt. We have to let ourselves fall into a pace. Each day take a step, no matter how small. Fill these voids with training and self proposed assignments. Delve further into your aspirations with each free moment.

I wanted to be in entertainment. I wanted to break into any part of the film/video industry right now. I fell victim to the expected instant gratification lifestyle that plagues western civilization. So I received a certification in broadcasting and got an internship. I worked it like a 9 to 5 paying job. After the better part of a year I was running out of money, homeless, and practically starving. I am proud to say that I was their number one go-to guy. I was the first person they called for anything. The president of the company even took the time to validate my efforts with a simple “you’re important to us here” once. I knew I was in. I asked to be put on the pay roll. “Just part time pay”, I said. No dice. I needed a college level education, not just a trade school obtained piece of paper. So I went to college. I got through one semester and fell dead broke. I left with good grades and got a job, got depressed, started drinking everyday. 4 years and 2 DUIs later, I hit bottom. I lost the dream. I ruined it. Now all I had to do was find a new job and reevaluate my piss poor existence. After 2 years, I was done with court. Writing had become my only outlet for that creative yearning that refused to leave my mind. I was pining away for my dreams to come back.

So I bit the bullet and went back to a community college to finish my associates. I’m still working on it today. But I’m almost done. I’ve had some things published in literary magazines and continue to work on some half-baked screen plays, you know, to keep up with that film maker dream I had. I’m even lucky enough to have people in California ready and waiting for me to finish school to come start an entry level position. Thinking back on it I don’t know how I made it through those times of uncertainty. I don’t know what I did, but I did it, even after giving up.

I suppose my point is this; it takes time. Your life is nothing more than opportunity amidst distraction. Those chances come and go in irregular intervals but when they arrive you have to be ready to snuff the anxiety, bite the bullet, and jump. They don’t come as often as you’d like, but they will. You’ve put yourself in the way of the train. Now you have to wait for it. When it comes barreling towards you, be sure to grab on. Just don’t be surprised when it stops at the next station leaving you wondering why things aren’t progressing. They will, so long as you don’t let go, slowly but surely.

This turned out to be a lot longer than I anticipated; sorry for that. Since you have the time I’ll recommend a book that touches on this a little more eloquently then I can. It’s called The Alchemist. It’s a short read, but holds a lot of good metaphors for intentional diligence over a lifetime. Good luck.

The Alchemist

The Alchemist - by Paulo Coelo

From Amazon:

Paulo Coelho's enchanting novel has inspired a devoted following around the world, and this tenth anniversary edition, with a new introduction from the author, will only increase that following. This story, dazzling in its powerful simplicity and inspiring wisdom, is about an Andalusian shepherd boy named Santiago who travels from his homeland in Spain to the Egyptian desert in search of a treasure buried in the Pyramids. Along the way he meets a Gypsy woman, a man who calls himself king, and an alchemist, all of whom point Santiago in the direction of his quest. No one knows what the treasure is, or if Santiago will be able to surmount the obstacles along the way. But what starts out as a journey to find worldly goods turns into a discovery of the treasures found within. Lush, evocative, and deeply humane, the story of Santiago is an eternal testament to the transforming power of our dreams and the importance of listening to our hearts.

http://www.amazon.com/Alchemist-Fable-About-Following-Dream/dp/0062502182