60 Quotes The Alchemist Teaches About Life and Love
Hands down, The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho is one of the most beautiful books I have ever read.
It’s a story of hope, dreams, perseverance and above all, the heart.
The Alchemist touches the soul in ways only some will understand. My goal today is to open your hearts up to this book by sharing some powerful quotes in hopes that you will read and share your thoughts on this deeply meaningful story.
The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho - a story of hope, dreams, perseverance and above all the heart. #TheAlchemist #PauloCoelho #Inspiration #Quotes Click To TweetThis post contains affiliate links. This means I may earn a small commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Read my disclosure info here for more info.
First, for those who haven’t read The Alchemist, here’s a quick synopsis…
(As described in the book)
“Paulo Coelho’s enchanting novel has inspired a devoted following around the world. This story, dazzling in its powerful simplicity and inspiring wisdom, is about an Andalusian shepherd boy named Santiago who travels from his homeland in Spain to the Egyptian desert in search of a treasure buried in the Pyramids.
Along the way, he meets a Gypsy woman, a man who calls himself king, and an alchemist, all of whom point Santiago in the direction of his quest.
No one knows what the treasure is, or if Santiago will be able to surmount the obstacles along the way.
But what starts out as a journey to find worldly goods turns into a discovery of the treasure found within…”
The best way to unveil The Alchemist is to share the most powerful excerpts (quotes) from the book itself.
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If you’re a fan of The Alchemist I also highly recommend these Paulo Coelho books…
✔️ The Pilgrimage – A journey across northern Spain, which pilgrims have travelled since the Middle Ages.
✔️ By the River Piedra I Sat Down to Weep – A story of forgiveness and two young lovers.
✔️ Eleven Minutes – A sensual coming of age story for a young Brazilian girl (adult content).
✔️ The Witch of Portobello – A story that transforms the way you think about love, passion, joy and sacrifice.
60 Quotes The Alchemist Teaches About Life, Love, Hopes and Dreams
The Alchemist has many themes throughout the book, but the ones that are most meaningful for me are:
- Love and the heart
- Perseverance
- Gratitude
- Hopes and dreams
- Life
- Destiny
These themes and quotes will help you reflect on the important things in life and are a reminder that this world is full of wonderful things – if you choose to see them.
When reading these quotes make sure to share your favourite on the comments section below 🙂
The Alchemist, Quotes about Love and The Heart
The Alchemist touches on so many lessons for the heart to learn… not only how precious love for another is, once found, but the importance of loving yourself.
In love, there is fear and suffering, which is worth the heartache for the moments of pure bliss.
1. “So, I love you because the entire universe conspired to help me find you.”
2. “You will never be able to escape from your heart. So it is better to listen to what it has to say.”
3. “My heart is afraid that it will have to suffer”, the boy told the alchemist one night as they looked up at the moonless sky. “Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself.”
4. “Remember that wherever your heart is, there you will find your treasure.”
Remember that wherever your heart is, there you will find your treasure. The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho #AlchemistQuotes #Wordsofwisdom Click To Tweet5. “Because, when you know that language, it’s easy to understand that someone in the world awaits you, whether it’s in the middle of the desert or in some great city. And when two such people encounter each other, and their eyes meet, the past and the future become unimportant. There is only that moment and the incredible certainty that everything under the sun has been written by one hand only. It is the hand that evokes love and creates a twin soul for every person in the world. Without such love, one’s dreams would have no meaning.”
6. “Because true love never keeps a man from pursuing his destiny.”
7. “When he looked into her dark eyes, and saw that her lips were poised between a laugh and silence, he learned the most important part of the language that all the world spoke—the language that everyone on earth was capable of understanding in their heart. It was love.”
“One is loved because one is loved. No reason is needed for loving.”
– Paulo Coelho
9. “This is what we call love. When you are loved, you can do anything in creation. When you are loved, there’s no need at all to understand what’s happening, because everything happens within you.”
10. “When we love, we always strive to become better than we are. When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too.”
11. “The dunes are changed by the wind, but the desert never changes. That’s the way it will be with our love for each other.”
12. “Ever since time began, people have recognized their true love by the light in their eyes.”
The Alchemist, Quotes for Perseverance
Life is hard and the journey that Santiago (the shepherd) takes is extremely challenging, but what The Alchemist teaches us is that it’s worth forging ahead, even when life gets you down and when it seems impossible.
The tough times teach us to appreciate the gifts we truly do have. The gifts are made possible because we worked for them.
We didn’t give up.
13. “If it’s still in your mind, it’s still worth taking the risk.”
14. “It will work if you forget all the reasons it won’t.”
15. “His heart whispered… Be aware of the place where you are brought to tears. That’s where I am, and that’s where your treasure is.”
16. “People are afraid to pursue their most important dreams, because they feel that they don’t deserve them or that they’ll be unable to achieve them.”
17. “Your eyes show the strength of your soul.”
'People are afraid to pursue their most important dreams, because they feel that they don't deserve them or that they’ll be unable to achieve them.' - The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho #Wisewords #Quotestoliveby #Quotesoftheday Click To Tweet18. “The secret of life, though, is to fall seven times and to get up eight times.”
19. “And, when you can’t go back, you have to worry only about the best way of moving forward.”
20. “When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better, too.”
“But if you believe yourself worthy of the thing you fought so hard to get, then you become an instrument of God, you help the Soul of the World, and you understand why you are here.”
– Paulo Coelho
22. “One has to understand that braveness is not the absence of fear but rather the strength to keep on going forward despite the fear.”
23. “Everything you need to know you have learned through your journey.”
24. “If you start by promising what you don’t even have yet, you’ll lose your desire to work towards getting it.”
'When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better, too.' - The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho #Quotestoliveby #wordsofwisdom #Wisewords Click To TweetThe Alchemist, Quotes for Gratitude
Sometimes if we stop and look around we’ll be able to take in all the little things that are amazing in our lives.
Usually, we are moving too fast to notice them when in fact we have hundreds of experiences, people and things to be grateful for.
These gratitude quotes from The Alchemist remind us to live a life of gratitude, which in return allows us to find happiness.
25. “The simple things are also the most extraordinary things, and only the wise can see them.”
26. “When each day seems the same, that is because people have stopped noticing the good things that appear in their lives…”
'When every day seems the same, that is because people have stopped noticing the good things that appear in their lives...' - The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho #Wisewords #Quotestoliveby #TheAlchemist Click To Tweet27. “We are travellers on a cosmic journey, stardust, swirling and dancing in the eddies and whirlpools of infinity. Life is eternal. We have stopped for a moment to encounter each other, to meet, to love, to share. This is a precious moment. It is a little parenthesis in eternity.”
28. “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.”
29. “If you can concentrate always on the present, you’ll be a happy man. Life is the moment we are living now.”
Related: 30 Inspiring Gratitude Quotes and Being Thankful Sayings
The Alchemist, Quotes for Hope and Dreams
Can you imagine living life without hope?
Even if something seems impossible, hope allows us to take a chance, try harder and find a way to make wonderful things happen.
Hope keeps us going, is stronger than fear and can turn a dream into reality. Use this hope to find inspiration and follow your dreams.
Even if something seems impossible, hope allows us to take a chance, to try harder and to find a way to make wonderful things happen. #quotesaboutlife #paulocoelho Click To Tweet30. “It’s the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting.”
31. “Everything that happens once can never happen again. But everything that happens twice will surely happen a third time.”
32. “People are capable, at any time in their lives, of doing what they dream of.”
33. “There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure.”
34. “It’s one thing to feel that you are on the right path, but it’s another to think that yours is the only path.”
“Before a dream is realized, the Soul of the World tests everything that was learned along the way. It does this not because it is evil, but so that we can, in addition to realizing our dreams, master the lessons we’ve learned as we’ve moved toward that dream.”
– Paulo Coelho
36. “Everyone on earth has a treasure that awaits him.”
37. “Dreams are the language of God. When he speaks in our language, I can interpret what he has said. But if he speaks in the language of the soul, it is only you who can understand.”
38. “Maktub,” she said. “If I am really part of your dream, you’ll come back one day.”
39. “Why don’t people’s hearts tell them to continue following their dreams?” the boy asked the alchemist… “Because that’s what makes a heart suffer most, and hearts don’t like to suffer.”
40. “No heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dreams.”
The Alchemist Quotes About Life
Paulo Coelho has so many powerful quotes about life in The Alchemist. Here are some memorable ones.
41. “We can never judge the lives of others, because each person knows only their own pain and renunciation. It’s one thing to feel that you are on the right path, but it’s another to think that yours is the only path.”
“All you have to do is to pay attention; lessons always arrive when you are ready, and if you can read the signs, you will learn everything you need to know in order to take the next step.”
– Paulo Coelho
43. “Every blessing ignored becomes a curse.”
44. “No matter what he does, every person on earth plays a central role in the history of the world. And normally he doesn’t know it.”
45. “Don’t waste your time with explanations: people only hear what they want to hear.”
46. “I can choose either to be a victim of the world or an adventurer in search of treasure. It’s all a question of how I view my life.”
47. “Intuition is really a sudden immersion of the soul into the universal current of life.”
48. “Everyone seems to have a clear idea of how other people should lead their lives, but none about his or her own.”
49. “Everything that happens once can never happen again. But everything that happens twice will surely happen a third time.”
50. “It’s one thing to feel that you are on the right path, but it’s another to think that yours is the only path.”
51. “If you’re brave enough to say goodbye, life will reward you with a new hello.”
The Alchemist Quotes About Destiny
52. “To realize one’s destiny is a person’s only real obligation.”
53. “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.”
54. “Maktub” (It is written)
55. “It’s called the principle of favorability, beginners luck because life wants you to achieve your destiny.”
“When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”
– Paulo Coelho
57. “It’s true; life is really generous to those who pursue their destiny.”
58. “The closer one gets to realizing his destiny, the more that destiny becomes his true reason for being.”
59. “But he was able to understand one thing: making a decision was only the beginning of things. When someone makes a decision, he is really diving into a strong current that will carry him into places he had never dreamed of when he first made the decision.”
60. “Don’t forget that everything you deal with is only one thing and nothing else… above all don’t forget to follow your destiny through to its conclusion.”
Summary
If you have yet to read Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist, I hope this has made you curious about why 65+ Million copies have been sold worldwide and translated into 70 languages.
It’s a modern literary classic that pulls at your heartstrings and provides hope and inspiration in your world.
Have you read The Alchemist? What did you think?
What quotes from The Alchemist do you love and what touched your heart?
Share in the comments below 🙂
More Inspiring Quotes Posts:
- 107 Buddha Quotes on Self-Love, Life, Happiness and Peace
- 50 Powerful Growth Mindset Quotes to Motivate You
- 40 Inspiring Gratitude Quotes & Sayings
- 65 Inspiring Quotes to Live in the Present
- 20 Quotes to Give You Strength When You’re Feeling Low
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About Yolanda
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Ive read this book multiple times and every time I do, I feel I learn a new amazing quote. Its always exciting when I pick up this book again.
Hi Caleb – I agree! Every time you read this book it’s a different experience.
I have just finished reading this book! It was definitely a good read. I learned to view life from a different perspective.
Wow sounds like a beautiful book! Thanks so much for sharing. Adding it to my kindle so I can read it. Some of those quotes I really needed this morning.
Hi Cortney – It really is a beautiful story 🙂 I hope you love it once you read!
This is beautiful Yolanda! The Alchemist is one of the books that changed the way I view life. To this day I believe the universe conspires to make your dreams come true.
Thanks so much Sabrina. I am a huge fan of the book and Paulo Coelho! I had a feeling you would be a fan too which I love 🙂 I love your outlook and completely agree xo
I read this book years ago, in a completely different time in my life (pre husband and kids). I imagine the meanings change with different seasons of life. I loved reading this post this morning. And you have inspired me to pick up that book and read it again.
Hi Jenny! Oh yes! I definitely recommend reading it again. I’ve actually read it twice and want to read again soon. I feel that depending on where you are in your life you will get something completely different out of the book. I hope you love the book this time around too 🙂
Such a great post, The Alchemist was and is one of my favorite books. I love the level of detail you went into !
I have not read the Alchemist but you have inspired me to do so. Thanks for sharing. You are putting a lot of work in your posts!
This is such an amazing quote collection! – becky
Thanks for sharing your experience. Amazing quotes. Sure I am thinking to read it again.
SUCH good collection of quotes!
I’ve never read the book but the quotes are beautiful! Must add to my list.
This is the kind of book you can read over every few years! Right now my favorite quote is “It’s one thing to feel that you are on the right path, but it’s another to think that yours is the only path.” A few years ago, I’m sure a different one would have resonated with me the most.
Wow! This book sounds amazing!! the quotes are beautiful!! I will definitely be checking this book out! thank you for sharing!
I haven’t read the book but noticed some of these quotes are similar to bible verses. Eg Matthew ch 6 v 21 “for where your treasure is there your heart will be also”. And proverbs ch 24 v 16 “the righteous may fall seven times and he will get up again”. Still want to read the book though.
A great list of quotes, thank you for sharing. I want to read the book again now! We read a passage from The Alchemist at my wedding ceremony -the part about two trees growing together until one day they realise that they are no longer two trees, but one.
That’s such a beautiful quote too. So perfect to read at your wedding. Read it again. I’ve read twice and I’m planning on reading again soon. I get something different out of the book each time I read 🙂
The Alchemist is one of my fave books ever! Just wrote a blog post about my favorite books, and that one was definitely on it. Great post!
It’s just so good isn’t it! I think it should be read every 5 years 🙂
Love this!
Thanks 🙂
Yay! These made me smile so much and I LOVE the name of your blog! Pinned 🙂
Have a great week!
~ Melanie
http://www.imagineyou.co.za/
Hey Melanie! So happy these amazing quotes brought a smile to your day 🙂 You have a fab week too!
I read this book in high school and really liked it! Thanks for sharing these! 🙂
If you have time – I encourage you to read it again! I read it twice so far, at two very different times in my life. I enjoyed it the first time, but fell in love with it the second time 🙂
I love a book that leaves if you great quotes to ponder and remember! This book is on my list to read this year!
Hi Jen! Glad it’s on your list – I try and encourage as many people as possible to read it. I really hope you enjoy 🙂
Some beautiful quotes. Definitely inspiring and gives you something to think about.
Yes, Paulo Coelho certainly has a way with words. So much to ponder!
Fantastic quotes. Love the one about getting up 8 times when you have fallen over 7 times.
Paulo Coelho is one insightful man! Yes, I love that one too 🙂
This book sounds really really good!! I’m excited to check it out!
I loved this book, so much that I read many of his others. I read them as a teenager. I think they have more meaning for me now as an adult. Thank you for this distillation of the books’ best quotes!
It has been several years since I have read this book. Think it is one of the most read books in the world. Great reminder of how good it is.
It’s been several years since I read The Alchemist. I think the quotes are more powerful and inspirational now than when I first read the book. It’s impossible for me to pick a favorite, but I like the one, “if it’s still in your mind, it’s still worth taking the risk.” So true.
Hey Margaret! I originally read several years ago too, and then again more recently. I find this book gives you different meaning depending on where you are in your life. Yes – that is a great quote!
I can’t wait to read this book! It sounds amazing.
Hi Jeanne! If you do pick up I’d love to know what you think 🙂