In Paulo Coelho's novel, The Alchemist, the main protagonist, Santiago, learns the true meaning of life through a series of intricate lessons, which also teach him to know the Soul and the Language of the World. After reading and following these steps, you too should be able to honor your Personal Legend.
Steps
Step 1. Understand what the Personal Legend is
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When Santiago meets the old King of Salem, Melchizedek, he learns for the first time what the Personal Legend is. The King tells Santiago that the Personal Legend is "what you always wanted to accomplish" (21)
Step 2. Know your Personal Legend
The language of the world will try to reveal your personal legend to you in multiple ways, for example through mentors, omens or signals. Whatever way you come to know your personal legend, it is important that you recognize it and take action in order to make your dreams come true. After all, "when you really desire something, the whole universe always conspires in your favor" (36). For young people it is easier to realize their personal legend because "at that point in their life, everything is clear and everything is possible. Young people are not afraid to dream, and to crave everything they wish to see happen in their lives. But, with the passage of time, a mysterious force begins to convince them that it will be impossible for them to realize their own Personal Legend "(21). For this Santiago is the ideal candidate, because time has not yet made him become impassive to dreams. That said, you need to know that you will be able to pursue your Personal Legend at any time in your life
Step 3. Give yourself a clear goal
Give yourself a goal that you will be able to accomplish when you complete your Legend. Without a clear and explicit goal or Personal Legend, it's impossible to make it. The King said that "you must always know what is what you want" (56). Santiago's goal was to find the treasure that was waiting for him at the Pyramids of Egypt
Step 4. Don't be a sheep
Coelho uses the sheep of Santiago to illustrate the lives of those who have ignored the call of their own Personal Legend. Sheep live an ordinary life, where "all they think about is food and water" (11). While these are important things, there is more to life than just necessities. Money and greed corrupt some people so that their only thought is like having more, consequently resembling sheep who only focus on one thing at a time. The sheep "don't even realize they are walking a new road every day," (11) much like all those who are carried away by the daily grind forgetting to stop and smell the roses
Step 5. Appreciate Simple Things
The gypsy tells Santiago that "the simplest things in life are the most extraordinary; only wise men are able to understand them" (15)
Step 6. When you feel like giving up, don't
Sometimes during your quest, it will seem to you that the universe is not conspiring to help you fulfill your Legend. At that point, The King will always appear, in one form or another. Sometimes it will appear in the form of a solution, or a good idea. Other times, at a crucial moment, it will make things easier to happen "(23). Often the Universe also makes other small gestures, but people rarely notice them. Santiago experiences this when he first arrives in Tangier and comes robbed. At that moment he thinks he is "too insignificant to be able to conquer the world" (39), and he takes it out on himself, but just at that moment the stones received by the King come to his mind. The omen tells the boy to continue on his journey! Remember the old proverb, "It is said that the darkest hour of the night comes just before dawn
Step 7. Let go of your Doubts and Fears
After learning that the corn flake vendor and the crystal merchant have ignored his Personal Legend, Santiago realizes that "there is nothing that can keep a man from fulfilling his dreams but himself" (28). The main reason the average person, including the corn flake vendor and the crystal merchant, will fail to find their Personal Legend is security. People are so interested in making a name for themselves and being comfortable that they choose to settle for a common life. When Santiago meets the camel driver, he reveals to him that people "always fear losing what they have, whether it be their life, possessions or possessions. But this fear evaporates when they realize that the story of their lives and the story of their world was written by the same hand "(76). By trusting in destiny, you are able to free yourself from these fears. The alchemist also teaches Santiago the same when he says "Don't indulge your fears … If you do, you won't be able to follow your heart … There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure" (141). Without the fear of failure, you are free to go any path you like
Step 8. Follow the omens
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I will never tire of emphasizing the importance of this step! The signals help guide Santiago in his search and the King reiterates this lesson again before leaving, so that Santiago does not forget it, saying, "Do not forget the language of signals" (30). At one point the crystal merchant asks Santiago, "Why ask for more from life?" and Santiago replies, "Because we have to respond to signals" (52). It is clear that the trader has not responded to the signals, and therefore struggles to understand Santiago's constant search for greatness
Step 9. Change your perspective and learn from every obstacle
As the old saying goes "You can't change the direction of the wind, you can only adjust your sails," Santiago realizes that when he approaches situations by thinking positively he is much closer to his own legend. After listening to the King's omen and arriving in Tangier, he said to himself that "that was not a strange place, it was a new place" (41). Similarly, when he had to face the vastness of the desert to reach Egypt, Santiago said to himself "I have learned many things from the sheep, and also from the crystals, perhaps I can also learn something from the desert" (73). Although he wasn't thrilled with the long road ahead, Santiago knew that if he looked at obstacles with positivity, he would be able to learn valuable lessons
Step 10. Seize the day
"I can always go back and start being a shepherd again, thought the boy … But maybe I'll never have another chance to reach the Pyramids of Egypt … The hills of Andalusia were only two hours away, but there was an entire desert between him and the Pyramids. Yet the boy felt that there was another way of interpreting his situation: in fact he was two hours closer to his treasure "(64). Santiago knew that his old life would wait for him forever, but that if he didn't pursue his Personal Legend now, he might never be able to do it again. The camel driver also told him, "If you can always focus on the present, you will be a happy man" (85). Given the importance of this message, return again with the subject of the soothsayer. The soothsayer says "The secret is here in the present. If you pay attention to the present you can improve it. And if you improve the present, even what comes next will be better … Each day carries with it an eternity" (103). Seize the day you are living and do not be distracted by the past or the future
Step 11. Follow your instincts
Santiago begins to understand that "intuition is really a sudden immersion of the soul in the universal current of life … in which we are able to know everything" (74). Our heart knows how to interpret the signals, therefore it knows the right decision to make when our conscious mind is unable to choose for itself. Later Santiago realizes that he "and his heart have become friends, and that they will never again be able to betray each other" (134). When you really get to know your heart, you are able to hear the Soul of the World. The alchemist says to Santiago, "You already know what you need to know. I'm just pointing you in the direction of your treasure" (115). This sentence shows how the power to find your Personal Legend is within you, otherwise it wouldn't be your Legend! Your mentors will only give you that push in the right direction that you may need from time to time. Trust that you and your heart can always make the right decision
Step 12. Realize when you have reached your Personal Legend
Since you set a goal in the beginning, you should be able to understand when you have completed your Personal Legend. Later, you may discover another and then another. Whatever you do, whether you are happy with what you have achieved or you want more, do not forget the lessons you have learned on the journey. After all, it's not necessarily the goal you need to pursue, so savor the time it takes to achieve it
Advice
- Don't lose the oil in the spoon as you admire the wonders of the castle.
- It is not necessary to follow these steps in the exact order, each of us must find our own Personal Legend in our own way. This is simply the line that worked for Santiago.
- Focus on the journey, not the destination! Don't forget to stop and smell the roses!
