Paulo Coelho, a real legend and author of life-changing books like The Alchemist – one of my favourites – says we all have a personal legend.
Your personal legend is the reason that you are here on this earth.
My Dad calls it ‘your purpose in life’ and since I fell out of my cradle he’s been at my sisters and I about finding ours. I thought at first that it was something I was going to find one day after searching, like the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. It took me a while to discover that it wasn’t quite like that…
I truly started on my path to follow my personal legend when my elder sister died. I took risks to follow a dream because it became obvious to me, in the face of tragedy, that I want to do what I love while I am lucky enough to be alive.
You will take detours and make mistakes on the way but in order to really be fulfilled in life, follow your personal legend, just like the shepherd boy, Santiago, in The Alchemist.
Mr Coelho says ‘you are here to honour something called the miracle of life. You’re not here to fulfill your hours and days with something meaningless. You have reason to be here – and that something gives you ENTHUSIASM. You betray your personal legend when you’re doing something without enthusiasm.
Maybe you think you have a good excuse, ‘I’m not ready. I have to wait for the right moment, feed my family…’ – but c’mon, your family wants to see you happy! They don’t want you to do work you hate, even if it gives you tons of money’. ** (Paulo Coelho)
So, your personal legend, or personal calling, or your purpose – call it what you will – is that which in life gives you enthusiasm. You know you’re on the path to it if you’re enthusiastic or not. You’re following your personal legend if what you’re doing, who you’re being, lights you up!
My path to pursuing my personal legend wasn’t smooth or easy or paved in yellow bricks with an answer to my problems at the end. But ‘grace has brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home’.
Whether you’re J.K Rowling or Mark Zuckerberg or Andy Murray, or not remotely famous but importantly doing what you love to do, well done! You’ve found your reason to be here; you’re living life to the full.
I invite anyone not enthusiastic about what they’re doing to open your heart to life. What do you love to do? Who do you love to be?
Keep legending,
Geoff
P.S. Incognito Artists is a bunch of people doing what they LOVE.
“Melt hearts. Blow Minds.”
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