Gondek 1

It is Written

Ashley Gondek

OGL 482: Org Leadership Pro-Seminar II

Ms. Trista Guzman Glover

College of Integrative Sciences and Arts, Arizona State University

March 30, 2024

1
 Gondek 2

Everyone has a unique purpose and path they follow through their lives. No journey

resembles another’s, so it is important to follow through on our own desires and dreams. This is

the main lesson I found within, The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho. The journey Santiago

experiences from home through the desert resembles a similar structure related to my personal

and professional journey as a leader and individual. It is a journey of self-discovery, trusting

your heart to guide you, facing your doubts and demons, and persevering in the face of life’s

obstacles. This book is a valuable lesson for leaders to understand that people have unique

priorities and perceptions tailored to their lives. The lessons found in the pages of The Alchemist

can be applied for anyone’s life journey and should be used as an inspirational and comforting

push to start working towards the life you desire. If you refuse to become uncomfortable to grow

and learn, then you are destined to fall into the trap of predetermined fate.

Overall, this book is a valuable example and reason for why one should risk everything

and go after their dreams and goals. A theme in this book identifies that we are all destined from

the start of life to have personal and unique experiences, and it is within our capacity to

overcome complacency whiles our desires slip away. Santiago’s initial quest for treasure

expanded into experiences far more valuable than he had initially set out for. “Once you make a

decision, the universe conspires to make it happen” (Coelho, 2014). The idea of this quote states

there are stages to the journey starting with beginners’ luck to motivate the start of the journey

through to a series of tests right before reaching our objective. Through life, there will be a series

of hardships and triumphs, and what is important is how we continue to progress through and

never give up. In the end, we learn that the most valuable treasure is experiencing our journey

and being where our heart belongs. I would recommend this book to a colleague because it is

about perseverance and seeking passion. Nothing worth doing is worth doing if you do not enjoy

2
 Gondek 3

it, and allowing yourself to stay in the same place without the satisfaction of meeting your

dreams can be debilitating. This is a book meant to inspire and motivate personal growth and

movement, and if taken out of the religious context, it can be applied to an approach to everyday

life.

The first lesson that stood out to me from this book is that we have a choice in our

journey, we can choose to stay comfortable and never reach a dream, or we can become

uncomfortable and journey through the unknown towards the possibility of reaching our desired

destination. Our fate is in our hands, and we cannot follow in the paths of anyone else’s. In the

story, Santiago is set on his option of being a shepherd who travels and to marry a woman he had

previously met versus becoming a priest. For him, these were his only options until a reoccurring

dream of the pyramids and treasure began to change his thoughts. As he received guidance from

a fortune teller, he began to set off on an adventure to find his treasure. However, the unknown

and financial limitations created doubt and uncertainty for Santiago to overcome. “The fear of

suffering is far worse than the suffering itself” (Coelho, 2014). During hardships, such as being

robbed, he convinced himself his only solution was to go back home because he could not afford

to continue. His impulsive solution to any problem he faced was the option to turn around and

end his journey. However, when he could not make the decision to continue his own, an omen or

sign from the universe would come up, he would use decision stones, and he would decide to

press on. You will always find a way to overcome life’s problems. Decisions lead to actions,

actions to experience, and experience to learning. The choice is ours to decide to continue to

move through life’s interferences. This reminds me that it is better to live regretting having done

something rather than living with the regret and having missed out.

3
 Gondek 4

This lesson coincides with my decision to continue my educational journey through the

organizational leadership degree program. I chose to build my capabilities as a leader

academically. There were many times I wanted to quit again, but I reminded myself that the time

would pass whether I did or did not continue. In the book, the wise man speaks about the baker

who built his business so he could travel, then he was too old and set in his routines and believed

he could no longer do what he desired. If Santiago gave in to his desire to go back to the life he

knew, he would have missed out on experience and lessons he gained through his journey. A

lesson from the course, The Akido Way to Leadership, is the practice of centering yourself in the

face of adversity. Conflicts require flexibility, and sometimes the path may be difficult and

different than expected. The ability to center and focus. Adapting your position in your

perceptions, thoughts, or behaviors can cultivate an efficient response to overcoming obstacles.

Another lesson from this book is to remain in the present. This is a personal area of

opportunity for me as I am always recalculating the past and often fearful of the future. This has

been part of my personal and professional area of growth for some time now. The wise man used

a lesson of balancing oil on a spoon while walking through the home. Santiago was intensely

focused on the oil that he missed all the details of the furniture and decorations throughout the

home. It was important to maintain care of the oil, but not to let this blind him from the beauty

around him. Additionally, the quote “I don’t live in either my past or my future. I’m interested

only in the present. If you can concentrate always on the present, you’ll be a happy man. Life

will be a party for you, a grand festival, because life is the moment we’re living now” (Coelho,

2014). Anxiety is a personal obstacle for me as I get mixed into cycles of what I could have or

would have said and what can come if I decide incorrectly. So, this was a reminder of all the

4
 Gondek 5

things that I can miss out on when I am not present in a situation and stuck in a deceptive thought

cycle.

In the leadership environment, there are many details coming toward you. Being present

is important to maintain clarity and respond effectively. In OGL 300, Theory and Practice of

Leadership, we discussed the variations of leadership styles. This was a course where I decided

that leadership was fluid, and much like being present, I had a choice each day to be present and

do the best I can with the information I have at the time, and that I could evolve through learning

how to adapt my personal approach to leadership. The story of Santiago’s journey is like mine in

this thought because I have been through multiple experiences and lessons throughout my tenure

with my organization, and I grew and adapted the more present I became. In the beginning of the

journey, there is a lot of need for physical signs and lessons, and as the story progresses, it

evolves into interacting and understanding the elements surrounding you. Leadership styles are

adaptive and flexible. Like a language, when one is present in the moment, it is easier to adjust

and respond with the appropriate style.

A final lesson in the book is simply to follow your heart. In the end, Santiago’s treasure is

with the one he loves, and the one he loves will allow him to journey through to understanding

his purpose. "Wherever your heart is, there you will find your treasure" (Coelho, 2014). The

heart stops talking to you when you give into your fears, however, this is where you find your

true passion and purpose. Fear prevents us from going after what we desire which can lead to

regrets and the inability to feel fulfilled. The alchemist explains to follow our heart because we

cannot escape it or the thoughts that come from it. This is what will drive us and lead us to our

treasures, or personal legend. There are moments when our heart changes what it wants as our

experiences and perceptions evolve around us. In the end, Santiago ends up back home and in

5
 Gondek 6

love with a woman he had not met prior to his journey. Had he not had the heart to begin the

journey for his treasure, he would not have met Fatima, or experienced any lessons from his

journey.

It is always easy to understand when someone is not passionate about their career. They

are often miserable, burn out quickly, and tend to not make appropriate decisions. Leaders are

directly involved with leading teams of people, and if this is not where the leader’s passion lies,

then their approach to leadership will be ineffective. In OGL 360, Assessment of Leadership

Effectiveness, I was paired up with two other classmates for peer coaching. We did an inventory

assessment in this course called, “What Matters Most.” This was an evaluation on what we

prioritized as individuals, and we wrote down how much of our time we spent on each one of

these. Our passions decide the amount of time and effort we put towards certain areas of our

lives. It is how we perceive events and overcome interruptions. After this assignment, my peer

coach challenged me to take the time to reflect on where I could make minor adjustments to my

approach so that I can make room for what I desire. When our hearts are full, we feel

accomplished and at peace.

This book provided a different perspective from what I learned through my

organizational leadership degree because it was focused on the passion and journey of an

individual rather than theories and concepts how leaders show up and build their teams. This was

focused on internal gratification rather than being effective and efficient. However, when you are

in the right place, and your heart is in it, this tends to inspire and build teams the best. My leaders

that have helped me along my journey have shown this is where their heart is as well. I mostly

identify with Santiago in this book because of the drive and pursuit of finishing my degree and

becoming a leader in my organization has been the carrot I have chased through the years. As I

6
 Gondek 7

reflect on reaching the finish line to both goals, there is so much gratitude and treasures spread

out across the journey itself. I have gained a network of support, confidence, and a passion to

share my unique story. I am steps closer to fulfilling my desire for inner peace.

My impact as an organizational leader from this book is motivation to continue pursuing

my personal purpose, to be at peace and creating a safe space for others to achieve their goals.

Instead of being like Santiago, I would take the role of the alchemist, or the variation of

characters, that helped guide Santiago through the stages of his journey. As a leader, it is

important to remember that each of us are on our own journey to figuring life out for ourselves,

and sometimes, our goals and perceptions may not align with what others experience. This is an

important position for leaders to maintain, especially in a corporate environment with varying

levels of priorities. The lessons from this book will guide and motivate me to not only

understanding the unique needs of my team but providing supportive layer to encouraging them

to listen to their requests from their hearts and being courageous.

Maktub, it is written, means that whatever happens is already known to the universe, or

whichever deity one turns to for guidance. With this, I take it as a confident push to just go for

whatever I dream of. Whatever ends up happening was meant to be, and I should not spend time

worrying about the minute details. If I could ask the author anything, I would have asked why

there was a treasure chest with coins and items inside of it at the end or why the alchemist did

not add items such as the knife from the market or crystal glasses. For me, the sentimental

objects from the journey would have made more sense being part of the chest, but it would have

prevented Santiago from repaying the gypsy. As my academic journey ends, my leap into

leadership is only beginning. The alchemist mastered his lessons, but he never stopped

practicing. Santiago found his treasure at home and with his girl, and he placed the decision

7
 Gondek 8

rocks in the chest as sentiments of his journey. The treasure is the whole journey to where your

heart belongs, and it is the lessons you gather along the way that are the most valuable.

8
 Gondek 9

Reference

Coelho, P., Clarke, A., & Smith, J. N. (2014). The Alchemist. 25th anniversary edition. New

York, NY, HarperOne.