The Alchemist

by Paul Coelho · 1983

Lesson 1: If you want to reach your biggest goals and feel fulfilled, you must follow your Personal Legend. The story begins with a young Spanish shepherd having a recurring dream. It happens each time he sleeps under a Sycamore tree outside of an old church building. In the dream, the boy hears from a child that he must go to the Egyptian pyramids to seek a treasure. After meeting with a gypsy woman to find out what the dream means, the boy is surprised when she says he needs to go to Egypt. To make matters even stranger, an old man named Melchizedek tells the boy the same thing. This time, however, the man uses the word “Personal Legend” to explain what the young man must do. After some deliberation, the boy decides to follow his Personal Legend and head for the pyramids. He sells his sheep and begins his journey by going to Tangier. Throughout the remainder of the book, he is constantly running into obstacles to his Personal Legend. But at each step overcomes them to find success and fulfillment. You have a Personal Legend too. It’s as unique as you are. You may already know what it is and simply need the courage to pursue it. Whether it’s a career, family, health, or other aspiration, you must overcome everything holding you back so that you can pursue your biggest dreams. Once you begin, the whole universe will conspire to make it happen. But that doesn’t mean you’ll be without difficulties. Lesson 2: Stop being afraid if you want to remove the barriers that keep you from progressing. The boy soon arrives in Tangier. The culture and the language, which he cannot speak, amaze him. This leads to someone stealing all his money. Even worse, he fears he’s made the wrong decision and almost heads back for Spain. But remembering what Melchizedek taught him, the young man pays attention to the omens all around him. He recommits to his Personal Legend and begins working for a local crystal merchant. The merchant recognizes the boy’s presence as a good omen