DAY 7 of my Daily Practice using the PhilosophersNotes Challenge focuses on the works of Paulo Coehlo.
Alright, here's the deal. If you don't love Paulo Coehlo, it may not be possible for us to be friends. This guy ... he gets it. And I am in awe.
“There is one great truth on this planet: whoever you are, or whatever it is that you do, when you really want something, it’s because that desire originated in the soul of the universe. It’s your mission on earth… And when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”
That's Paulo Cohlo in one of the most amazing books of all time, "The Alchemist: A Fable About Following Your Dream."
When you talk about Disruptive Thoughts, this is THE BOOK to read. Honestly, it changed my life. And I'll bet it will change yours.
“Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself. And that no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dreams, because every second of the search is a second’s encounter with God and with eternity.”
That's him again, also in "The Alchemist."
That makes me think of Montaigne, who says, “My life has been full of terrible misfortunes most of which never happened.”
In my last job, I had the chance to work directly with Russell Simmons on HIV prevention efforts. The guy is very cool and it doesn't surprise me that he said it this way: “The pain that’s created by avoiding hard work is actually much worse than any pain created from the actual work itself. Because if you don’t begin to work on those ideas that God has blessed you with, they will become stagnant inside of you and eventually begin to eat away at you. You might seem OK on the outside, but inside you will be ill from not getting those ideas out of your heart and into the world. Stalling leads to sickness. But taking steps, even baby steps, always leads to success.”
Alright, two more thoughts from Coehlo:
“There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure."
“We wouldn’t worry nearly as much about what others thought of us if we recognize how seldom they do.”
Damn! I get it universe, I have work to do on this one.
Do you want to know me? This—from Coehlo's "Warrior of the Light"—this is me:
“Join with those who sing songs, tell stories, enjoy life … because happiness is contagious. Join those who walk with their heads high even when they have tears in their eyes. Avoid those who … have never shed a tear.”
Finally, IF YOU’RE GOING TO FALL…
“A fall from the third floor hurts as much as a fall from the hundredth. If I have to fall, may it be from a high place.” From the author's book, "By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept."
About the Author: PAULO COELHO
The Brazilian author Paulo Coelho was born in 1947 in the city of Rio de Janeiro. Before dedicating his life completely to literature, he worked as theatre director and actor, lyricist and journalist. He is one of the best-selling and most influential authors in the world. The Alchemist, The Pilgrimage, The Valkyries, By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept, The Fifth Mountain, Veronika Decides to Die, Eleven Minutes, The Zahir, and others have sold more than 100 million copies in 150 countries and have been translated into 60 languages. Visit him online at PauloCoelho.com. |