Page 226 - The 5 Second Rule: Transform Your Life, Work, and Confidence with Everyday Courage

pursuit of some unknown treasure. At the end of his journey, the man realizes the treasure was with him the entire
time.”

Forty-one and desperate? I got chills when I read that line. That’s how old I was
when I discovered the #5SecondRule, and that’s exactly how I felt. What I have
come to realize is there is no expiration date on discovering and expressing the
power of you. And as Coelho wrote in the foreword, it starts with a belief in
yourself, and that belief is grounded in the courage to push yourself.

“I was following my Personal Legend, and my treasure was my capacity to write. And I wanted to share this treasure with
the world. I started knocking on the doors of other publishers. One opened, and the publisher on the other side believed in
me and my book and agreed to give The Alchemist a second chance. Slowly, through word of mouth, it finally started to
sell—three thousand, then six thousand, ten thousand—book by book, gradually throughout the year.”

The book became an organic phenomenon and the rest is history. It is
considered one of the ten best books of the twentieth century. When interviewers
ask Coelho whether or not he knew that it would be a success, this is what he had
to say:

“The answer is no. I had no idea. How could I? When I sat down to write The Alchemist, all I knew is that I wanted to
write about my soul. I wanted to write about my quest to find my treasure.”

The answers are inside of you if you have the courage to listen. You are like
some other people and like no other person. You have something remarkable to
share with the world. It starts with listening to what’s inside of you and ends with
the courage to go where it leads.

Follow it.