Personal Legend

What Stops Us From Confronting Our own Dream?  We’re told that everything is impossible.  As children, we still believe that we can grow up to be anything we want. We’re going be acrobats, astronauts, anything our heart desires. There’s no limit to the possibilities.  As adults, we rationalize. We doubt. We settle. We think those dreams are perhaps a little far-fetched, and society agrees. So we ignore our Personal Legend, burying it and shushing it any time it tries to remind of us what we truly want.

What is Personal Legend?  A Personal Legend is your life's spiritual purpose. It's a spiritual calling that awakens a deep desire and passion to live with a sense of purpose for something greater than yourself.  We can think of it as our calling.  The thing(s) that set your heart on fire.  The passions and beliefs and dreams are at your core.

What Stops Us From Confronting Our own Dream?  Love  If we somehow start to listen to that voice inside of us, pushing us to pursue our calling, we then turn it away because of love. We don’t want to leave those we love behind in pursuit of our dream.

What Stops Us From Confronting Our own Dream?  Fear of defeat  We’ve all heard this before. We need to take risks. We can’t be afraid of failure (and all that jazz..). And while it’s nice for those who have finally made it over to the other side to say that risks are a necessary part to pursuing your dream, it doesn’t make it any less scary.

What Stops Us From Confronting Our own Dream?  The fear of realizing the dream for which we fought all our lives  This is the most difficult obstacle, because when we are finally so close to realizing our dream – we feel guilty.  We know not everyone makes it to that point, and we start to wonder if we really deserve it.  We forget about all of the trials and tribulations we went through to make it there, and instead think about those who failed to realize and pursue their own callings.

To Start  What is your calling?  What thing(s) set your heart on fire?  What are the passions, beliefs, and dreams that are at your core?

Where are you at…  You are currently on your journey to find your personal legend.  Where are you at currently on your journey to find your personal legend?  Read the first 8 pages of The Alchemist. Then answer the following in your logbooks:  What desires do we see Santiago have that could lead him on his journey toward his personal legend?  What are the early steps he takes to begin his journey  What desires do you have that have lead or will lead you on your journey for personal legend?  What early steps have you taken, if any at all?

First:  After watching the video reflect on your experience in school.  DO you view it as positive or negative?  What parts of you improved and what parts were stifled?  Do you feel your creativity was discounted and ignored or not valued? Explain  Do you feel the total person that is you was educated? Explain.  If you feel that your creativity was stifled, what are you going do about it?  Can you be the best and most successful person you can be without building up your creativity?

Next Read 9-13  Why do you think that Santiago’s father was so supportive of him traveling?  Why do you think the author includes the quote: “In his eyes, I could see my father’s desire to travel the world.”?  Is Santiago a player? Does this make him truly happy?  What do you think Santiago’s dream means?  What does the fortune teller say it means?  Predict what you think will happen next.

13-21  What is the world’s biggest lie that the book says?  Do you agree that it is the world’s biggest lie? Why or why not.  What do you think the book represents?  What is the one great truth on the planet according to the old man?  What do you think that truth means and do you agree with it?  What is the significance of bakers and shepherds in this part of the book?  What do you think is the purpose of the story about the prospector?  Do you agree that everything in life has a price?  What would you be willing to give up to fulfill your dream?  Who do you think the old man really is?  Do you think he represents anything? Explain

Ted Talk  How can you apply this talk on the god complex to how you approach the world?

Today  Find 5-10 individuals that you admire or whose lives you would like.

Project  Every great personal legend ha s a starting point  You are going to create a 3-5 minute presentation about

21-27  What is holding back Santiago from going to Africa and pursuing his treasure?  What is the principle of favorability and how does it work according to the old man?  What does he tell Santiago he will lead him to the treasure?  What does he give him to help him interpret the omens and what is his parting advice?  What does the wise man ask the boy to do before he will talk to him?  What happens the first time the boy comes back?  What happens the second time the boy comes back?  What is the advice the wise man gives the boy and what do you think it means?

28-37  Why do you think the King wants Santiago to be successful?  Why do you think the big guy tries to stop Santiago from leaving with his new friend?  What do you think Santiago getting distracted by the sword represents?  How do you think Santiago’s distraction relates to the concept of personal legend?  What does Santiago worry about after his companion has left him?  What does Santiago vow he will do?  Is the candy merchant living his personal legend? How do you know?  What does Santiago say he will do to be able to see the omens?  How does Santiago’s decision about what to do to better see the omens relate to personal legend?

37-43  Why aren’t people buying the crystal merchant’s wares?  Why would the crystal merchant have fed Santiago even if he didn’t clean the crystal?  What did they both need to cleanse?  What does the crystal merchant tell him about getting to Egypt and how does Santiago respond?  How does Santiago compare crystal breaking with being a shepherd?  How does the merchant feel about Santiago seeing the pyramids? Have you ever had someone respond to you and your dreams like this?  What journey does the merchant want to go on?  Does the merchant actually want to go on his journey? Why or why not?

50-60  Who is the guy with glasses going to the desert to look for?  What does he say about omens?  What makes Santiago want to read the guy with glasses’ books and what makes the guy with glasses want to pay more attention to the caravan?  What does the guy with glasses say everything is so complicated?  What does Santiago say about how people learn? Do you agree with him?  How would having a gun help the guy with glasses to trust people?  Santiago sees a girl, falls in “love”, and is inspired…do you believe that something like this can happen?  What does Fatima believe about death? What do you believe?  What does she want of her husband? Why do you think she wants that?

60-65  What sort of vision does Santiago have?  Do the elders believe him and his vision? Why or why not?  What does Santiago get is his vision is correct?  What does he get if it is incorrect?  Why does the man on the horse threaten Santiago?  Who is the man on the horse?  Why did the other tribe decide to attack?  What position does Santiago get after the battle?

65-70  What do you think the alchemist tells Santiago that he shouldn’t be there?  Why does the alchemist tell Santiago that he needs to leave oasis?  What would you do if you loved someone but knew they were holding you back but they didn’t support your personal legend?  What do you think the alchemist means when he says life attracts life?  What does the alchemist say about love?  What does the alchemist say about learning? Do you agree or disagree, why?  What does the alchemist tell Santiago to listen to in order to understand the world?  What simple lesson does the Alchemist want to teach Santiago and why do you think he wants Santiago to learn this?

 What does the alchemist say to Santiago about things evolving? What does that mean?  Who does the alchemist say Santiago is and what does he say Santiago can do?  What do you think the alchemist says this?  What does the alchemist say fears keep you from doing?  How does Santiago turn himself into the wind?

76-90  Why does the alchemist give an extra piece of the gold to the guy to hold onto for Santiago?  What is the old proverb, and what does it mean?  What did the angel reveal to the father?  How did the father die and what did he die for?  What is the father’s one wish?  Who does his son meet and what words do you think were remembered throughout time?  What happens to Santiago when he reaches the pyramids where his treasure is supposed to be?  Where is his treasure? What are his treasures?