If you want something, but you don’t do anything about it… do you then really want it? Or you want the want? Let me explain; In the ‘the Alchemist’, the world-famous book by Paulo Coelho, a young Shepperd named Santiago goes to find his treasure. His destiny. On his journey he travels from Spain to morocco to pass the desert to Egypt where his destiny awaits him according to a dream he had.
In Morocco, he loses all the money he has and takes a job in a crystal shop until he has enough money to continue the travel. The young shepherd turns out to be quite the business mastermind and comes up with an idea to 10x the old man’s business. When the money comes in, Santiago remarks that it is time for him to continue the journey. But not only is there enough money for his journey, they can both go. You see, the merchant has the dream of his own. As a religious man the he dreams of going on a pilgrimage to Mecca. For that travel, he needs to make the same journey across the desert. However, when the time comes that he can actually go… he freezes.
He never travels to Mecca, because he worries that once he accomplishes his dream, the rest of his life will pale in comparison. He rather keeps dreaming and, in a sense, complaining about not achieving his dream, then to make the journey.
“That is 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. – the merchant says.”
Many of us are like that. We know what we dream about. We know how to get there but most of us never start. Often, we are afraid of what other people’s opinion in both failure and success. The rare breed of people like Santiago get over that fear and some of us even put in the work. But then, the moment we have the opportunity to realize them, we freeze. What if, we think like the merchant, the dream turns out not to be the answer to the hole in my soul? Or even worse… What if it is? Then what? What then do we have left to dream about?
Like the crystal merchant we rather spent our life unwilling to take the risks afraid of our own failure or success. Although it keeps the merchant, and perhaps you, deeply unhappy, he is unwilling to change his ways. For Santiago it turns out different. Different then his own expectations and different than what other people thought. He finds his treasure. And I hope one day you will to.
I’ve met so many people with great ideas. They have the skills to execute on them and make their dream come true. If you are one of these aspiring entrepreneurs, I would like to encourage you to read “the Alchemist” and then be Santiago. Worst thing that can happen? You fail. I promise you, on the journey across the dessert, you will find much failure but also many treasures. Some planned, some unexpected. But all of them have one thing in common. You have to take the journey to find them. For me personally, I have failed more times than most people have tried. And while I would advise you to fail fast and cheap, I’ve learned by losing everything several times. Am I out of the desert today? Not yet, but I have found treasures along the way that have unmeasurable value. And I wouldn’t have found any of them if I didn’t take this journey. So, my advice to whoever reads this? Saddle your donkey. And get your ass in the dessert…