BBOTM-04: “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho

In this month’s Business Book of the month episode we discuss “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho. Paulo Coelho was born in Brazil, and he has now sold more than 100 million books.

Top quotes & bullets from “The Alchemist”

The Alchemist

• “What’s the world’s greatest lie?” the boy asked, completely surprised. “It’s this: that at a certain point in our lives, we lose control of what’s happening to us, and our lives become controlled by fate. That’s the world’s greatest lie.”
• He had to choose between something he had become accustomed to and something he wanted to have.
• ‘The secret of happiness is to see all the marvels of the world, and never to forget the drops of oil on the spoon.’”
• He picked up the two stones and put them back in his pouch. He didn’t consider mending the hole—the stones could fall through any time they wanted. He had learned that there were certain things one shouldn’t ask about, so as not to flee from one’s own Personal Legend.
• it’s the thought of Mecca that keeps me alive. That’s what helps me face these days that are all the same, these mute crystals on the shelves, and lunch and dinner at that same horrible café. I’m afraid that if my dream is realized, I’ll have no reason to go on living.
• every blessing ignored becomes a curse.
• “When a person really desires something, all the universe conspires to help that person to realize his dream,” said the alchemist, echoing the words of the old king.
• “Isn’t wine prohibited here?” the boy asked “It’s not what enters men’s mouths that’s evil,” said the alchemist. “It’s what comes out of their mouths that is.”
• “And what went wrong when other alchemists tried to make gold and were unable to do so?” “They were looking only for gold,” his companion answered. “They were seeking the treasure of their Personal Legend, without wanting actually to live out the Personal Legend.”
• “Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself.
• When I have been truly searching for my treasure, I’ve discovered things along the way that I never would have seen had I not had the courage to try things that seemed impossible for a shepherd to achieve.”
• happiness could be found in a grain of sand from the desert, as the alchemist had said. Because a grain of sand is a moment of creation, and the universe has taken millions of years to create it.
• The boy remembered an old proverb from his country. It said that the darkest hour of the night came just before the dawn.
• “When you possess great treasures within you, and try to tell others of them, seldom are you believed.”
• When the pan had cooled, the monk and the boy looked at it, dazzled. The lead had dried into the shape of the pan, but it was no longer lead. It was gold. “Will I learn to do that someday?” the boy asked.

Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone To Take Action

What score do we give “Ask”?

Mark Asquith gave it a nine-and-a-half out of 10, Colin gave it an eight-an-a-half out of 10, Chris have it a nine and I gave it an eight. That means that it gets thirty-five out of forty – that’s 87.5 percent!

What we’re reading next

Next up we’re going to be reading a book called Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone To Take Action by Simon Sinek, so make sure you’re subscribed to our email updates and we’ll tell you when we go live with the next show!

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