📚 4 Reasons Why I Think Everyone Should Read The Alchemist
A timeless guide for finding your path and following your dreams
From: Just West of Otay Lakes
Hey – It's Luis.
Welcome to Day 20 of the 30-Day Writing Challenge!
The Alchemist is the book that prepared me for the most important journey of my life.
Reason #1: Signs Are Everywhere
Life leaves clues to guide you toward your dreams.
For an entire year, I listened to The Alchemist on repeat, not fully understanding why this story kept calling me back. What I didn't realize was that these words were preparing me for my own transformative journey—my path to recovery from alcoholism. Just like the shepherd boy following omens in the desert, each listen was laying the groundwork for the moment when I would hit bottom and find my way to the Twelve Steps.
Your dream is already sending you messages—you just need to learn to read them.
Reason #2: Decisions Shape Destiny
One brave choice can change everything.
The shepherd boy had to choose between his comfortable life with the sheep and the uncertain path toward his treasure. My pivotal moment came when I decided to turn my life and will over to the care of God. Like trading my old life for the promise of a new one, this decision changed everything. The size of the step doesn't matter nearly as much as the faith it takes to take it.
Your next big breakthrough starts with a single surrender.
Reason #3: Tests Reveal Strength
The biggest tests come right before your biggest breakthroughs.
A wise pastor gave me life-changing advice during my darkest moments: instead of asking God to remove your pain or fear, invite Him to walk through it with you. This simple shift in perspective changed everything. Just as the shepherd boy faced his greatest challenges in the desert, our hardest moments often precede our most profound transformations. The experience taught me that when you invite God to walk beside you through your trials, you emerge with a faith and strength you never knew you had.
Your challenges aren't meant to break you—they're meant to reveal who you can become.
Reason #4: Action Creates Wisdom
Real learning only happens through experience.
The book shows us that wisdom comes from doing, not just knowing. When I took action despite my fears, it was because I believed in a promise for my life—a promise bigger than my fears. Every step forward, no matter how small, taught me something about faith, courage, and trust. Looking back, these moments of action, even when terrified, became the foundation of my new life.
Your heart already knows the way—you just have to be brave enough to follow it.
So, what is the new thing you dream of?
P.S. What promise for your life is worth taking action for, even if you're afraid?