50 Essential Paulo Coelho Quotes That Will Change Your Life

As one of the greatest living novelists, Paulo Coelho continues to inspire vast numbers of people around the world with works such as The Alchemist, Eleven Minutes, and By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept.
From these books – and from the man himself – comes an amazing collection of quotes that really are life changing when you sit down and contemplate their meaning.

Here are my top 50 Paulo Coelho quotes in no particular order.

On Love

One is loved because one is loved. No reason is needed for loving.

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.

Certain things in life simply have to be experienced – and never explained. Love is such a thing.

Love is not to be found in someone else, but in ourselves; we simply awaken it. But in order to do that, we need the other person. The universe only makes sense when we have someone to share our feelings with.

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.

On Life, Destiny And Adventure

We are travelers 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.

The secret of life, though, is to fall seven times and to get up eight times.

When we least expect it, life sets us a challenge to test our courage and willingness to change; at such a moment, there is no point in pretending that nothing has happened or in saying that we are not yet ready. The challenge will not wait. Life does not look back. A week is more than enough time for us to decide whether or not to accept our destiny.

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.

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.

On Following Your Dreams

It’s the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting.

There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure.

Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself. And that no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dreams, because every second of the search is a second’s encounter with God and with eternity.

People are capable, at any time in their lives, of doing what they dream of.

Whenever you want to achieve something, keep your eyes open, concentrate and make sure you know exactly what it is you want. No one can hit their target with their eyes closed.

We must never stop dreaming. Dreams provide nourishment for the soul, just as a meal does for the body.

And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.

On Time

One day you will wake up and there won’t be any more time to do the things you’ve always wanted. Do it now.

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.

None of us knows what might happen even the next minute, yet still we go forward. Because we trust. Because we have Faith.

The secret is here in the present. If you pay attention to the present, you can improve upon it. And, if you improve on the present, what comes later will also be better.

On Lessons

There are moments when troubles enter our lives and we can do nothing to avoid them. But they are there for a reason. Only when we have overcome them will we understand why they were there.

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.

Forgive but do not forget, or you will be hurt again. Forgiving changes the perspectives. Forgetting loses the lesson.

There is only one way to learn. It’s through action. Everything you need to know, you have learned through your journey.

On Loss

Anyone who has lost something they thought was theirs forever finally comes to realise that nothing really belongs to them.

No one loses anyone, because no one owns anyone. That is the true experience of freedom: having the most important thing in the world without owning it.

When someone leaves, it’s because someone else is about to arrive.

You are not defeated when you lose. You are defeated when you quit.

When faced by any loss, there’s no point in trying to recover what has been; it’s best to take advantage of the large space that opens up before us and fill it with something new.

If you’re brave enough to say goodbye, life will reward you with a new hello.

On Moving On

It is always important to know when something has reached its end. Closing circles, shutting doors, finishing chapters, it doesn’t matter what we call it; what matters is to leave in the past those moments in life that are over.

Close some doors today. Not because of pride, incapacity or arrogance, but simply because they lead you nowhere.

On Judging Others

Everyone seems to have a clear idea of how other people should lead their lives, but none about his or her own.

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.

On Listening To Your Heart

Remember that wherever your heart is, there you will find your treasure.

You will never be able to escape from your heart. So it’s better to listen to what it has to say.

On Facing Fears

When you find your path, you must not be afraid. You need to have sufficient courage to make mistakes. Disappointment, defeat, and despair are the tools God uses to show us the way.

Braveness is not the absence of fear but rather the strength to keep on going forward despite the fear.

Being human means having doubts and yet still continuing on your path.

Talent is a universal gift, but it takes a lot of courage to use it. Don’t be afraid to be the best.

On Taking Control Of Your Own Life

You are what you believe yourself to be.

You have two choices, to control your mind or to let your mind control you.

If you conquer yourself, then you conquer the world.

And The Rest

The simple things are also the most extraordinary things, and only the wise can see them.

Don’t waste your time with explanations: people only hear what they want to hear.

Tears are words that need to be written.

Your eyes show the strength of your soul.

Don’t explain. Your friends do not need it, and your enemies will not believe you.

Every blessing ignored becomes a curse.

Which of these wonderful quotes is your favorite? Leave a comment below and let me know.