Paulo Coelho

The path to wisdom is not being afraid to make mistakes.

I think we are afraid of each other when it comes to sex, because we read so much about sex, we talk so openly about sex, we see movies and we read books; but when we are face to face with someone else, we forget our individual patterns; that we are unique. So we try to repeat other people's patterns, according to what we seen and what we heard. So most of us are very frustrated, because we don't accept our individuality as far as sex is concerned.

Sex was always surrounded by taboos, and I don't see it necessarily as a manifestation of evil. I think that sexuality is first and foremost the way that God chooses for us to be here on earth, to enjoy this energy of love in the physical plane.

To succeed in life, you must have the courage to be hated.

Philosophy can't build bridges, but can encourage people to cross them.

Heaven and Earth are meeting in a storm that, when it's over, will leave the air purer and the leaves fertile, but before that happens, houses will be destroyed, centuries- old trees will topple, paradises will be flooded.

Keeping passion at bay or surrendering blindly to it - which of these two attitudes is the least destructive?

When we're interested in something, everything around us appears to refer to it (the mystics call these phenomena "signs," the sceptics "coincidence," and psychologists "concentrated focus," although I've yet to find out what term historians should use).

Fear of failure leads to failure.

And with the passing years, what had once seemed like a miracle or the luckiest of chances and which he had always promised himself he would never become enslaved by, has gradually become his sole reason to go on living.

Assuming that women don't like football and that men aren't intersted in home decorating and cooking.

Thinking that being a good, decent, respectable person will mean that others will see you as weak, vulnerable, and easy to manipulate.

Believing that other people are always better than you-better-looking, more capable, richer, more intelligent-and that it's very dangerous to step outside your own limits, so it's best to do nothing.

Believing that art is either worth a fortune or worth nothing at all.

Getting married, having children, and staying together long after all love has died, saying that it's for the good of the children (who are, apparently, deaf to the constant rows).

Making fun of anyone who seeks happiness rather than money and accusing them of "lacking ambition."

Retiring and discovering that you no longer have enough energy to enjoy life and dying a few years out of sheer boredom.

He seemed to be talking about my fears, my insecurity, and my unwillingness to see what was wonderful because tomorrow it might disappear and I might suffer. The gods throw the dice, and they don't ask whether we want to be in the game or not.

I believe everything is one thing only. That said, there are some questions in my life that I don't know.. I've stopped asking. At the very beginning of my life, I wanted to have answers for everything. And now I respect the fact that I can't have answers for everything.

True love allows each person to follow his or her own path, aware that doing so can never drive them apart.

Beauty is the greatest seducer of man.