I'm not doing anything, and yet I'm also doing the most important thing a man can do: I'm listening to what I needed to hear from myself.
Paulo CoelhoRead
Know how to get close to it: mountains are often seen from far off - beautiful, interesting, full of challenges. But what happens when we try to draw closer? Roads run all around them, flowers grow between you and your objective, what seemed so clear on the map is tough in real life. So try all the paths and all the tracks until eventually one day you're standing in front of the top that you yearn to reach.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Achieving your goals may seem easy from a distance, but the journey can be challenging and requires persistence.
Paulo Coelho illustrates the journey of pursuing dreams and ambitions as a metaphorical climb up a mountain. While the destination may appear beautiful and compelling from afar, the reality involves navigating obstacles, distractions, and difficulties that must be overcome. The quote emphasizes the importance of exploring various paths and persevering through challenges in order to reach one’s desired goal.
Themes
MountainsJourneyPersistenceGoalsChallenges
In practice
Example use cases
Using this quote during a motivational speech at a conference to inspire attendees to pursue their goals despite challenges.
More from Paulo Coelho
All quotes →Each stone, each bend cries welcome to him. He identifies with the mountains and the streams, he sees something of his own soul in the plants and the animals and the birds of the field.
Paulo CoelhoRead
We need to clear our minds of bad thoughts.
Paulo CoelhoRead
Having the courage to take the steps we always wanted to take is the only way of showing that we trust in God.
Paulo CoelhoRead
The fool who loves giving advice on our garden never tends his own plants
Paulo CoelhoRead
Sometimes the Warrior feels as if he were living two lives at once.
Paulo CoelhoRead
Similar quotes
If I could straighten it out (his golf swing), I'd be pitching at Dodger Stadium tonight.
Sandy KoufaxRead
Let us do our duty in our shop or our kitchen, in the market, the street, the office, the school, the home, just as faithfully as if we stood in the front rank of some great battle, and knew that victory for mankind depended on our bravery, strength, and skill. When we do that, the humblest of us will be serving in that great army which achieves the welfare of the world.
Theodore ParkerRead
Make yourself necessary to the world, and mankind will give you bread.
Ralph Waldo EmersonRead
Why give up before we try Feel the lows before the highs Clip our wings before we fly away I can't say I came prepared I'm suspended in the air Won't you come be in the sky with me
Alicia KeysRead
There's a storm inside of us, a burning river, a drive. You push yourself further than anyone could think possible. You are never out of the fight.
Marcus LuttrellRead
The pitcher has got only a ball. I've got a bat. So the percentage in weapons is in my favor and I let the fellow with the ball do the fretting.
Hank AaronRead