Recently I read the latest of Paulo Coelho’s beautiful depiction of his personal life, from an intriguing era of breaking the norms to live a life so different from the mundane, it sounded almost like a parallel universe. Hippie allowed me to ride an adventure on a Magic Bus that traveled between Amsterdam and Nepal !

‘ Such a wonderful time. How I wish I was born in that era ’, I thought to myself.

No, this isn’t a book review. On the contrary, this is just the opposite. Books have the power to transport our minds, allowing us to imagine and partially experience a new life, and sometimes leave a meaningful impact on our existence. Remember how your favorite biography inspired you to hustle tirelessly towards success ?

But soon, you found yourself seeking inspiration from yet another story, yet another experience. I, being a seeker, am deeply inspired by the journey of Paulo Coelho, and often wondered if I could step into his shoes and live the adventurous life he has been blessed with.

It was this thought that made me realize —

Every Hippie Does NOT Become
Paulo Coelho

Whether you are inspired by a bestselling author, an actor, a sportsperson, a successful life coach or even your next door neighbor, most often your eyes are fixated on the success they have achieved. How often do you ponder over their struggles and failures, their sleepless nights and empty stomachs, or those feelings of being alone when the whole world was up against them ?

Stories of success, sold as beautifully jacketed colorful books, printed on quality paper, mask the black and white truth behind massive achievements. They motivate and inspire you, but fail to emphasize the one single key to success —

Your Inspiration is only a Figment of Imagination, if it isn’t accompanied by Action !

I would love to travel the world like Paulo, in search of meaning and purpose, but it only remains a wish, because while I am being inspired by his writing, I am also being fearful of following his journey. When you follow someone, you are entitled to follow through every hardship and failure, learning from mistakes, before you can finally kiss the sunshine.

If you intend to change the world like Jeff Bezos, don’t keep looking at his increasing wealth, but look back on how often he failed to avoid making those mistakes yourself.

While you remain inspired in your dormant state, you are allowing the fear of hustling to prevent you from achieving the life of your dreams. The best odds of winning the jackpot in a lottery are one in a hundred million, so unless you have a trick to manipulate the odds in your favor, it’s time to hustle !

When the Fear of Staying is greater than the Fear of Leaving, You Leap !

Choose between these fears and you will know that it’s time to leap. Leap, and leap like you were meant to hunt your dreams down. Don’t just seek inspiration, aspire to change your state of being, but remain cuddled up under that cozy blanket, because it’s too cold to go out there and fight for your dreams.