The Witch of Portobello

by Paulo Coelho

They say that extroverts are unhappier than introverts and have to compensate for this by constantly proving to themselves how happy and contented and at ease with life they are.

But she would have paid a still higher price if she had repressed her true exuberant self. She would have been bitter and frustrated, always concerned about “what other people might think,” always saying “I’ll just sort these things out, then I’ll devote myself to my dream,” always complaining that “the conditions are never quite right.”

But at the same time we feel afraid. Surrendering completely to love, be it human or divine, means giving up everything, including our own well-being or our ability to make decisions. It means loving in the deepest sense of the word. The truth is that we don’t want to be saved in the way God has chosen; we want to keep absolute control over our every step, to be fully conscious of our decisions, to be capable of choosing the object of our devotion.

Music isn’t just something that comforts or distracts us, it goes beyond that—it’s an ideology. You can judge people by the kind of music they listen to.

“Everything moves, and everything moves to a rhythm. And everything that moves to a rhythm creates a sound. At this moment, the same thing is happening here and everywhere else in the world.

The day is made up of twenty-four hours and an infinite number of moments. We need to be aware of each of those moments and to make the most of them regardless of whether we’re busy doing something or merely contemplating life. If we slow down, everything lasts much longer. Of course, that means that washing the dishes might last longer, as might totting up the debits and credits on a balance sheet or checking promissory notes, but why not use that time to think about pleasant things and to feel glad simply to be alive?”

We all have an unknown ability, which will probably remain unknown forever. And yet that ability can become our ally. Since it’s impossible to measure that ability or give it an economic value, it’s never taken seriously, but I’m speaking here to other human beings and I’m sure you understand what I mean, at least in theory.

In some way that I don’t understand joy is infectious, as is enthusiasm and love. Or indeed sadness, depression, or hatred—things that can be picked up ‘intuitively’ by customers and other employees. In order to improve performance, we have to create mechanisms that keep these positive stimuli alive.”

“The brush with which you are making these lines is just an instrument. It has no consciousness, it follows the desires of the person holding it. And in that it is very like what we call ‘life.’ Many people in this world are merely playing a role, unaware that there is an Invisible Hand guiding them.

It’s the same thing with repetition: it may seem the same, but it’s always different. The moment will come when you no longer need to think about what you’re doing. You become the letter, the ink, the paper, the word.”

You have understood what all great painters understand: in order to forget the rules, you must know them and respect them.