Paulo Coelho Quotes That Will Make You Rethink Your Life

Published June 22, 2016
Updated May 4, 2018

Beloved around the world for his novel The Alchemist, Brazilian writer Paulo Coelho’s early life was shaped by crippling introversion. His parents placed him in a mental institution to treat the condition, and Coelho stayed there until he was 20 years old.

After his release, he led an itinerant hippie lifestyle, traveling around the world and finding himself in prison for acts of political activism. While wandering along Spain’s Road of Santiago de Compostela in 1986, Coelho realized that in order to be truly happy, he needed to write.

He began writing The Pilgrimage that same year. It was The Alchemist, published two years later, that garnered him the devoted following he has today. It is Coelho’s words, as seen in the quotes below, that have inspired many to live their own dreams — before it’s too late:


Next, read these Ernest Hemingway quotes on life and war. Then, have a look at the best George Orwell quotes.

author
Erin Kelly
author
An All That's Interesting writer since 2013, Erin Kelly focuses on historic places, natural wonders, environmental issues, and the world of science. Her work has also been featured in Smithsonian and she's designed several book covers as a graphic artist.
editor
John Kuroski
editor
Based in Brooklyn, New York, John Kuroski is the editorial director of All That's Interesting. He graduated from New York University with a degree in history, earning a place in the Phi Alpha Theta honor society for history students. An editor at All That's Interesting since 2015, his areas of expertise include modern American history and the ancient Near East. In an editing career spanning 17 years, he previously served as managing editor of Elmore Magazine in New York City for seven years.
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Kelly, Erin. "Paulo Coelho Quotes That Will Make You Rethink Your Life." AllThatsInteresting.com, June 22, 2016, https://allthatsinteresting.com/paulo-coelho-quotes. Accessed September 13, 2025.