the urge of quitting your corporate job after reading this book is strong

Reading The Alchemist reminded me of a conversation I had last year. For the longest time, I believed I had to find my purpose through work. Whenever I couldn’t, I’d quit and look for another job, hoping the next one would finally feel meaningful. Then one day my friend told me, “Maybe your purpose doesn’t have to be your job. Maybe a job is simply how you earn the money to support the parts of life that give you purpose.” For a while, I believed that. I went to work, did my best, collected my salary, traveled, ate good food, bought the things I enjoyed, and let work become just one part of my life. It made sense. Until one day, it didn’t. The emptiness slowly came back. That’s when I realized I hadn’t found an answer. I had only found an explanation that made the questions quieter for a while. There’s a conversation in The Alchemist that stayed with me. The boy asks, “What if I decide to stay?” The Alchemist tells him he can. He can choose comfort. He can choose stability. He can even convince himself that he’s satisfied. But one day, he’ll realize he never pursued his Personal Legend. I think that’s why leaving is so difficult. It’s not because we don’t have dreams. It’s because chasing them means risking everything we’ve worked so hard to build, our position, our salary, our sense of security. Starting over is scary because you can’t see what’s on the other side. So we stay. But if not now, then when? A few years from now, life may bring more responsibilities, and the freedom you have today may no longer be there. Maybe that’s why The Alchemist reminds us that our dreams don’t disappear. We simply become better at ignoring them. #thealchemist