You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards.

The three stages in the life of a dreamer and risk taker:

1. When others first hear about their ideas, they say: "He/she is not practical, the ideas are at 50,000 foot level".
2. If he/she still continues pursuing the idea, people say he/she has gone CRAZY.
3. Once the idea becomes reality, people fondly recollect: I knew him/her then. “The first time I met that lad/girl, I knew he/she was different and going to make it BIG.”
   (Success has many followers...)

Story Line: You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards.

Paulo Coelho was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to a father who was an engineer. When their son started getting into artistic ventures at the age of 16 instead of normal career pursuits (e.g. engineer, doctor, lawyer), Paulo’s parents got worried that something was wrong with their boy. His parents took him for psychiatric evaluation and later admitted him to a mental institution. He spent time in mental institution twice before the age of 18, just for not being a “normal” kid. When he started a theatrical venture, he was again (for the third time) taken for mental consultation by his parents. In his 20s, he joined progressive political movements, was imprisoned and also kidnapped. By then his parents had already given up on him.  

Paulo believed that his personal legend was to write. But his early age dream of being a writer encountered lots of setbacks. He took all kinds of jobs to survive but never dropped his lifelong love for writing. At the age of 38, his first book was published with little success in the marketplace. His second book, The Alchemist, was published in 1988 when he was 41. It sold only 900 copies, and the first publisher dropped the book. Paulo tried to find another publisher with no success. Both his first books did not do well until he published his third one. That book gave him enough exposure for readers to explore his first two books.

The Alchemist, a novel that explores his theme about following one’s personal legend, got noticed and made him an international bestselling author. The Alchemist has been translated in 66 languages and has sold more than 65 million copies in more than 150 countries, becoming one of the best-selling books in history. Combined with his other books, his total number of sales exceeds 100 million copies.

Reflection:

Paulo Coelho once said: “Following your dream is like learning a foreign language; you will make mistakes but you will get there in the end.”

Here is an excellent review of The Alchemist: http://bookreviews.nabou.com/reviews/thealchemist.html

Comments

[Tiffany Liu]

I know you chose the Subject Title from Steve Job's speech. So appropriate. Reinforces the key message for risk takers and dreamers and achievers. Thanks
"you can't connect the dots looking forward. You can only connect them looking backwards, so you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something--your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever--because believing that the dots will connect down the road will give you the confidence to follow your heart, even when it leads you off the well-worn path, and that will make all the difference." Steve at Stanford Graduation 2004.

[Ignacio]

There is a fourth stage.

Once you become well known, people will come to talk to you in all kinds of weird places including rest room and look forward to shaking hands with you even before you have washed them. Such is an irony of fate.

So True. Seen it first hand.

[Kris]

In 2005, I got to know The Alchemist in your class. Very inspiration book. As it said in the book-- If you want something to happen, the whole universe cospires so your wish comes true.

Made big impression and change my life.

[Howard]

To follow personal legend, one must know what it is. that is the problem.

[micro CEO]

I haven't read this book but it does sound very interesting. The personal journey theme, sounds like something similar to other books of universal quality, like Oddessy or Don Qixote. I hope I get a chance to read it.

One quote (or paraphrase?) in the review that caught my attention was this :
"...those who do not have the courage to follow their " Personal Myth", are doomed to a life of emptiness, misery, and unfulfillment. Fear of failure seems to be the greatest obstacle to happiness."

Many including myself may read this and think, which side of the fence am I on? Probably not the romantic "Personal Myth" side... not most days. Yet, on the other hand, I sometimes think that as we grow up and support a family with kids, we must "trade in" a portion of this personal dream for something more practical and stable. Some who do not choose to make such a compromise do end up successful (Steve Jobs, e.g.?) but haven't necessarily been the best parents to their children? And of course this leads to the core dilemma of success vs. happiness.

A lot of data in USA like avg. number of millionaires per million (maybe not this year!) or average standard of living, would lead one to believe that Americans tend to be good at becoming successful (in business). Yet high divorce rate, violence, crime, spiteful litigation, etc. might indicate that average happiness (personal satisfaction) level may be relatively low.

Last year I read about one survey that found Denmark to be the nation of people that were happiest in the world. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/5224306.stm )

This despite a punishing tax rate that averages 50% and can go up to over 100%(!) for the richest folks. (And if the rich are willing to pay more than 100% of income in tax every year, they must be pretty happy people! ;-)