The Alchemist

I’ve recently started to re-read The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. I first read the book back in 2007 when I was living abroad in Thailand. A friend of mine I met through my training camp passed along the book to me, as it had been passed along to him by another traveler. I remember how weathered the copy was… some pages were a bit torn, the front and back cover weathered from nature and also from the many hands it had passed through. When I first read it, it came at a pivotal time in my life.

 
At the time, I had sold everything I had to move overseas to train and fight in Muay Thai kickboxing and for the most part, didn’t have any intentions of moving back anytime soon. I remember sitting in a raggedy fold out chair on my small balcony of my room that overlooked the training camp, opening the book and diving into the text. Instantly, I connected with the book and couldn’t set it down. The connection between finding your Personal Legend and how once you’ve set your mind to something, the universe conspires to see it through made too much sense. I would argue that we all have experienced this in some way, shape, or form. We set our mind to something and map out a plan either in writing or in our minds and we take action… taking small steps each day towards that vision. Along the way, there are trials and tribulations which force us to twist and turn along the path, but each obstacle sheds light on new aspects of ourselves and adds to the journey. Ultimately, we end up exactly where we need to be. Reading The Alchemist was a way for me to ground myself in my beliefs that I could achieve whatever it is I wanted. The book had a huge impact on my life and I re-read it about once a year, each time I find new gems of knowledge in the text.

Before I left Thailand, I passed along the book to another travel I had met, with the instructions to find someone else to pass it down to once he was done reading it. It’s the gift that keeps on giving. I wonder whose hands it’s in now, and what great things they will accomplish in their lives as they actively seek out their own Personal Legend. If you or anyone you know is going through a transition, or could use some inspiration to believe in themselves, give it a read, and see how it can transform you.