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Inspiration Project The Alchemist
Inspiration Project The Alchemist
It is Written
Ashley Gondek
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Everyone has a unique purpose and path they follow through their lives. No journey
resembles another’s, so it is important to follow through on our own desires and dreams. This is
the main lesson I found within, The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho. The journey Santiago
experiences from home through the desert resembles a similar structure related to my personal
your heart to guide you, facing your doubts and demons, and persevering in the face of life’s
obstacles. This book is a valuable lesson for leaders to understand that people have unique
priorities and perceptions tailored to their lives. The lessons found in the pages of The Alchemist
can be applied for anyone’s life journey and should be used as an inspirational and comforting
push to start working towards the life you desire. If you refuse to become uncomfortable to grow
and learn, then you are destined to fall into the trap of predetermined fate.
Overall, this book is a valuable example and reason for why one should risk everything
and go after their dreams and goals. A theme in this book identifies that we are all destined from
the start of life to have personal and unique experiences, and it is within our capacity to
overcome complacency whiles our desires slip away. Santiago’s initial quest for treasure
expanded into experiences far more valuable than he had initially set out for. “Once you make a
decision, the universe conspires to make it happen” (Coelho, 2014). The idea of this quote states
there are stages to the journey starting with beginners’ luck to motivate the start of the journey
through to a series of tests right before reaching our objective. Through life, there will be a series
of hardships and triumphs, and what is important is how we continue to progress through and
never give up. In the end, we learn that the most valuable treasure is experiencing our journey
and being where our heart belongs. I would recommend this book to a colleague because it is
about perseverance and seeking passion. Nothing worth doing is worth doing if you do not enjoy
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it, and allowing yourself to stay in the same place without the satisfaction of meeting your
dreams can be debilitating. This is a book meant to inspire and motivate personal growth and
movement, and if taken out of the religious context, it can be applied to an approach to everyday
life.
The first lesson that stood out to me from this book is that we have a choice in our
journey, we can choose to stay comfortable and never reach a dream, or we can become
uncomfortable and journey through the unknown towards the possibility of reaching our desired
destination. Our fate is in our hands, and we cannot follow in the paths of anyone else’s. In the
story, Santiago is set on his option of being a shepherd who travels and to marry a woman he had
previously met versus becoming a priest. For him, these were his only options until a reoccurring
dream of the pyramids and treasure began to change his thoughts. As he received guidance from
a fortune teller, he began to set off on an adventure to find his treasure. However, the unknown
and financial limitations created doubt and uncertainty for Santiago to overcome. “The fear of
suffering is far worse than the suffering itself” (Coelho, 2014). During hardships, such as being
robbed, he convinced himself his only solution was to go back home because he could not afford
to continue. His impulsive solution to any problem he faced was the option to turn around and
end his journey. However, when he could not make the decision to continue his own, an omen or
sign from the universe would come up, he would use decision stones, and he would decide to
press on. You will always find a way to overcome life’s problems. Decisions lead to actions,
actions to experience, and experience to learning. The choice is ours to decide to continue to
move through life’s interferences. This reminds me that it is better to live regretting having done
something rather than living with the regret and having missed out.
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This lesson coincides with my decision to continue my educational journey through the
academically. There were many times I wanted to quit again, but I reminded myself that the time
would pass whether I did or did not continue. In the book, the wise man speaks about the baker
who built his business so he could travel, then he was too old and set in his routines and believed
he could no longer do what he desired. If Santiago gave in to his desire to go back to the life he
knew, he would have missed out on experience and lessons he gained through his journey. A
lesson from the course, The Akido Way to Leadership, is the practice of centering yourself in the
face of adversity. Conflicts require flexibility, and sometimes the path may be difficult and
different than expected. The ability to center and focus. Adapting your position in your
Another lesson from this book is to remain in the present. This is a personal area of
opportunity for me as I am always recalculating the past and often fearful of the future. This has
been part of my personal and professional area of growth for some time now. The wise man used
a lesson of balancing oil on a spoon while walking through the home. Santiago was intensely
focused on the oil that he missed all the details of the furniture and decorations throughout the
home. It was important to maintain care of the oil, but not to let this blind him from the beauty
around him. Additionally, the quote “I don’t live in either my past or my future. I’m interested
only in the present. If you can concentrate always on the present, you’ll be a happy man. Life
will be a party for you, a grand festival, because life is the moment we’re living now” (Coelho,
2014). Anxiety is a personal obstacle for me as I get mixed into cycles of what I could have or
would have said and what can come if I decide incorrectly. So, this was a reminder of all the
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things that I can miss out on when I am not present in a situation and stuck in a deceptive thought
cycle.
In the leadership environment, there are many details coming toward you. Being present
is important to maintain clarity and respond effectively. In OGL 300, Theory and Practice of
Leadership, we discussed the variations of leadership styles. This was a course where I decided
that leadership was fluid, and much like being present, I had a choice each day to be present and
do the best I can with the information I have at the time, and that I could evolve through learning
how to adapt my personal approach to leadership. The story of Santiago’s journey is like mine in
this thought because I have been through multiple experiences and lessons throughout my tenure
with my organization, and I grew and adapted the more present I became. In the beginning of the
journey, there is a lot of need for physical signs and lessons, and as the story progresses, it
evolves into interacting and understanding the elements surrounding you. Leadership styles are
adaptive and flexible. Like a language, when one is present in the moment, it is easier to adjust
A final lesson in the book is simply to follow your heart. In the end, Santiago’s treasure is
with the one he loves, and the one he loves will allow him to journey through to understanding
his purpose. "Wherever your heart is, there you will find your treasure" (Coelho, 2014). The
heart stops talking to you when you give into your fears, however, this is where you find your
true passion and purpose. Fear prevents us from going after what we desire which can lead to
regrets and the inability to feel fulfilled. The alchemist explains to follow our heart because we
cannot escape it or the thoughts that come from it. This is what will drive us and lead us to our
treasures, or personal legend. There are moments when our heart changes what it wants as our
experiences and perceptions evolve around us. In the end, Santiago ends up back home and in
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love with a woman he had not met prior to his journey. Had he not had the heart to begin the
journey for his treasure, he would not have met Fatima, or experienced any lessons from his
journey.
It is always easy to understand when someone is not passionate about their career. They
are often miserable, burn out quickly, and tend to not make appropriate decisions. Leaders are
directly involved with leading teams of people, and if this is not where the leader’s passion lies,
then their approach to leadership will be ineffective. In OGL 360, Assessment of Leadership
Effectiveness, I was paired up with two other classmates for peer coaching. We did an inventory
assessment in this course called, “What Matters Most.” This was an evaluation on what we
prioritized as individuals, and we wrote down how much of our time we spent on each one of
these. Our passions decide the amount of time and effort we put towards certain areas of our
lives. It is how we perceive events and overcome interruptions. After this assignment, my peer
coach challenged me to take the time to reflect on where I could make minor adjustments to my
approach so that I can make room for what I desire. When our hearts are full, we feel
organizational leadership degree because it was focused on the passion and journey of an
individual rather than theories and concepts how leaders show up and build their teams. This was
focused on internal gratification rather than being effective and efficient. However, when you are
in the right place, and your heart is in it, this tends to inspire and build teams the best. My leaders
that have helped me along my journey have shown this is where their heart is as well. I mostly
identify with Santiago in this book because of the drive and pursuit of finishing my degree and
becoming a leader in my organization has been the carrot I have chased through the years. As I
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reflect on reaching the finish line to both goals, there is so much gratitude and treasures spread
out across the journey itself. I have gained a network of support, confidence, and a passion to
share my unique story. I am steps closer to fulfilling my desire for inner peace.
my personal purpose, to be at peace and creating a safe space for others to achieve their goals.
Instead of being like Santiago, I would take the role of the alchemist, or the variation of
characters, that helped guide Santiago through the stages of his journey. As a leader, it is
important to remember that each of us are on our own journey to figuring life out for ourselves,
and sometimes, our goals and perceptions may not align with what others experience. This is an
important position for leaders to maintain, especially in a corporate environment with varying
levels of priorities. The lessons from this book will guide and motivate me to not only
understanding the unique needs of my team but providing supportive layer to encouraging them
Maktub, it is written, means that whatever happens is already known to the universe, or
whichever deity one turns to for guidance. With this, I take it as a confident push to just go for
whatever I dream of. Whatever ends up happening was meant to be, and I should not spend time
worrying about the minute details. If I could ask the author anything, I would have asked why
there was a treasure chest with coins and items inside of it at the end or why the alchemist did
not add items such as the knife from the market or crystal glasses. For me, the sentimental
objects from the journey would have made more sense being part of the chest, but it would have
prevented Santiago from repaying the gypsy. As my academic journey ends, my leap into
leadership is only beginning. The alchemist mastered his lessons, but he never stopped
practicing. Santiago found his treasure at home and with his girl, and he placed the decision
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rocks in the chest as sentiments of his journey. The treasure is the whole journey to where your
heart belongs, and it is the lessons you gather along the way that are the most valuable.
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Reference
Coelho, P., Clarke, A., & Smith, J. N. (2014). The Alchemist. 25th anniversary edition. New