--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If I could, I'd write a huge encyclopedia…" description: "\"If I could, I'd write a huge encyclopedia just about the words luck and coincidence\" — Paulo Coelho" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/608/paulo-coelho-10_alchemist_if-i-could-i-d-write-a-huge-encyclopedia_890039.jpg" --- # If I could, I'd write a huge encyclopedia just about the… ![“If I could, I'd write a huge encyclopedia just about the words luck and coincidence” quote by Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/608/paulo-coelho-10_alchemist_if-i-could-i-d-write-a-huge-encyclopedia_890039.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/608/paulo-coelho-10_alchemist_if-i-could-i-d-write-a-huge-encyclopedia_890039.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/608/paulo-coelho-10_alchemist_if-i-could-i-d-write-a-huge-encyclopedia_890039.jpg) > “If I could, I'd write a huge encyclopedia just about the words luck and coincidence” [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Expresses a desire to explore the role of chance and fate through extensive writing, suggesting curiosity about randomness. **In simple terms:** I’d write a huge book about luck and coincidence. Key Takeaway Explore how randomness shapes life. Themes curiosity luck coincidence writing philosophy Mood inquisitive philosophical Type literary conceptual When to use this quote - authoring a book - philosophical essays - research on probability Key Concepts determinism probability storytelling Questions to Reflect On - What does luck mean to you? - Can coincidence be intentional? A Different Perspective Focusing solely on luck may ignore agency. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alchemist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alchemist/) [Coincidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coincidence/) [Luck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/luck/) [Lucky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lucky/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [“People break down into two groups. When they experience something lucky, group number one sees it as more than luck, more than coincidence. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-night-shyamalan/people-break-down-into-two-groups-when-they-experience-something/) [M. Night Shyamalan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-night-shyamalan/) > [You can have the other words-chance, luck, coincidence, serendipity. I'll take grace. I don't know what it is exactly, but I'll take it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-oliver/you-can-have-the-other-words-chance-luck-coincidence-serendipity-i-ll/) [Mary Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-oliver/) > [People break down into two groups when the experience something lucky. Group number one sees it as more than luck, more than coincidence. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-night-shyamalan/people-break-down-into-two-groups-when-the-experience-something-lucky/) [M. Night Shyamalan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-night-shyamalan/) > [“Regardless of whether luck or coincidence is involved, desires directed in the right way have a tendency to manifest.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-richards/regardless-of-whether-luck-or-coincidence-is-involved-desires/) [Stephen Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-richards/) > [The alchemists spent years in their laboratories, observing the fire that purified the metals. They spent so much time close to the fire that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/the-alchemists-spent-years-in-their-laboratories-observing-the-fire/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [The world we live in will be either better or worse depending on whether we become better or worse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/the-world-we-live-in-will-be-either-better-or-worse-depending-on/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [You came so that you could learn about your dreams," said the old woman. "And dreams are the language of God. When he speaks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/you-came-so-that-you-could-learn-about-your-dreams-said-the-old-woman/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/fear-of-suffering-is-worse-than-the-suffering-itself/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Every blessing ignored becomes a curse. I don't want anything else in life. But you are forcing me to look at wealth and at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/every-blessing-ignored-becomes-a-curse-i-don-t-want-anything-else-in/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“Love is the force that transforms and improves the Soul of the World.When I first reached through to it,I thought the Soul of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/love-is-the-force-that-transforms-and-improves-the-soul-of-the-world/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“Why don’t people’s hearts tell them to continue to follow their dreams?” the boy asked the alchemist. “Because that’s what makes a heart suffer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/why-don-t-people-s-hearts-tell-them-to-continue-to-follow-their-2/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“Setiap pencarian dimulai dengan keberuntungan bagi sang pemula. Dan setiap pencarian diakhiri dengan ujian berat bagi si pemenang.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/setiap-pencarian-dimulai-dengan-keberuntungan-bagi-sang-pemula-dan/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [It's not what enters men's mouth that is evil," said the alchemist. It's what comes out of their mouths that is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/it-s-not-what-enters-men-s-mouth-that-is-evil-said-the-alchemist-it-s/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [The secret is here in the present. If you pay attention to the present, you can improve upon it. And, if you improve on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/the-secret-is-here-in-the-present-if-you-pay-attention-to-the-present/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [When we love, it is not necessary to understand what is happening outside, because everything happens inside us instead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/when-we-love-it-is-not-necessary-to-understand-what-is-happening/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) ## More by Paulo Coelho > [I have inside me the winds, the deserts, the oceans, the stars, and everything created in the universe. We were all made by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/i-have-inside-me-the-winds-the-deserts-the-oceans-the-stars-and/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Love will never separate a man from his personal legend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/love-will-never-separate-a-man-from-his-personal-legend/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [The world has a soul and whoever understands that soul can also understand the language of many things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/the-world-has-a-soul-and-whoever-understands-that-soul-can-also/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [You dont choose your life; it chooses you. Theres no point asking why life has reserved certain joys or griefs, you just accept them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/you-dont-choose-your-life-it-chooses-you-theres-no-point-asking-why/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [To love is to be in communion with the other and to discover in that other the spark of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/to-love-is-to-be-in-communion-with-the-other-and-to-discover-in-that/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [It is not enough to dream of the Impossible Love - it is necessary to conquer it too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/it-is-not-enough-to-dream-of-the-impossible-love-it-is-necessary-to/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Eat when it is time to eat. And walk when it is time to walk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/eat-when-it-is-time-to-eat-and-walk-when-it-is-time-to-walk/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [People are reading more and writing more because of the internet. So the virtual world is a way for me to listen to my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/people-are-reading-more-and-writing-more-because-of-the-internet-so/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“Joy is like sex – it begins and ends. I want pleasure. I want to be contended, but happiness? I no longer fall into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/joy-is-like-sex-it-begins-and-ends-i-want-pleasure-i-want-to-be/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“Trudi se da zivis, sjecanja su za starije ljude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/trudi-se-da-zivis-sjecanja-su-za-starije-ljude/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [I've always been a very restless person. I work hard, spend too much time looking after my son, I dance like a mad thing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/i-ve-always-been-a-very-restless-person-i-work-hard-spend-too-much/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [When someone leaves, it's because someone else is about to arrive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/when-someone-leaves-it-s-because-someone-else-is-about-to-arrive/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [The past and the future become unimportant. There is only that moment, and the incredible certainty that everything under the sun has been written…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/the-past-and-the-future-become-unimportant-there-is-only-that-moment/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [She didn't need to understand the meaning of life; it was enough to find someone who did, and then fall asleep in his arms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/she-didn-t-need-to-understand-the-meaning-of-life-it-was-enough-to/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“The simpler the pose, the better; the more sober, the more beautiful.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/the-simpler-the-pose-the-better-the-more-sober-the-more-beautiful/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) [Explore all 3,665 Paulo Coelho quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) ## More Alchemist quotes > [When we love, it is not necessary to understand what is happening outside, because everything happens inside us instead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/when-we-love-it-is-not-necessary-to-understand-what-is-happening/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [The secret is here in the present. If you pay attention to the present, you can improve upon it. And, if you improve on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/the-secret-is-here-in-the-present-if-you-pay-attention-to-the-present/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Soft fantasy worlds have a much looser cause-and-effect relationship. Alchemists can turn lead into gold and nobody wonders about how it will impact the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/soft-fantasy-worlds-have-a-much-looser-cause-and-effect-relationship/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [It's not what enters men's mouth that is evil," said the alchemist. It's what comes out of their mouths that is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/it-s-not-what-enters-men-s-mouth-that-is-evil-said-the-alchemist-it-s/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Even mistaken hypotheses and theories are of use in leading to discoveries. This remark is true in all the sciences. The alchemists founded chemistry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-bernard/even-mistaken-hypotheses-and-theories-are-of-use-in-leading-to/) [Claude Bernard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-bernard/) > [Stand up and walk. Keep moving forward. You've got two good legs. So get up and use them. You're strong enough to make your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hiromu-arakawa/stand-up-and-walk-keep-moving-forward-you-ve-got-two-good-legs-so-get/) [Hiromu Arakawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hiromu-arakawa/) > [Good intentions do not guarantee good results. Somehow Andrew Keates turns works of merit into evenings of entertainment. Don't call him a dramaturge, call…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-gambaccini/good-intentions-do-not-guarantee-good-results-somehow-andrew-keates/) [Paul Gambaccini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-gambaccini/) > [When we send Love in response to hate, we become spiritual alchemists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/when-we-send-love-in-response-to-hate-we-become-spiritual-alchemists/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [What about you, Sage? I know we don't have to worry about you violating the dress code. Did you have fun at your Alchemist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/what-about-you-sage-i-know-we-don-t-have-to-worry-about-you-violating/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [“You'll have a hard time getting any Alchemist to admit that. But I can say you're okay for an irreverent party boy with occasional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/you-ll-have-a-hard-time-getting-any-alchemist-to-admit-that-but-i-can/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [“Setiap pencarian dimulai dengan keberuntungan bagi sang pemula. Dan setiap pencarian diakhiri dengan ujian berat bagi si pemenang.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/setiap-pencarian-dimulai-dengan-keberuntungan-bagi-sang-pemula-dan/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [To obtain something, something of equal value must be given.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hiromu-arakawa/to-obtain-something-something-of-equal-value-must-be-given/) [Hiromu Arakawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hiromu-arakawa/) > [Perfect alchemists I keep who can transmute substances without end, and thus the corner of my garden is an inexhaustible treasure-chest. Here you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/perfect-alchemists-i-keep-who-can-transmute-substances-without-end/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [All that mattered was that he was Adrian, my Adrian. My match. My partner in crime, in the long battle I’d just signed on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/all-that-mattered-was-that-he-was-adrian-my-adrian-my-match-my/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [“Why don’t people’s hearts tell them to continue to follow their dreams?” the boy asked the alchemist. “Because that’s what makes a heart suffer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/why-don-t-people-s-hearts-tell-them-to-continue-to-follow-their-2/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) [Browse all 160 Alchemist quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alchemist/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If I could, I'd write a huge encyclopedia just about the words luck and coincidence", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Paulo Coelho" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/if-i-could-i-d-write-a-huge-encyclopedia-just-about-the-words-luck/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Alchemist" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/if-i-could-i-d-write-a-huge-encyclopedia-just-about-the-words-luck/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/608/paulo-coelho-10_alchemist_if-i-could-i-d-write-a-huge-encyclopedia_890039.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/608/paulo-coelho-10_alchemist_if-i-could-i-d-write-a-huge-encyclopedia_890039.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/608/paulo-coelho-10_alchemist_if-i-could-i-d-write-a-huge-encyclopedia_890039.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If I could, I'd write a huge encyclopedia just about the words luck and coincidence” — Paulo Coelho", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Paulo Coelho", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If I could, I'd write a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/if-i-could-i-d-write-a-huge-encyclopedia-just-about-the-words-luck/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/if-i-could-i-d-write-a-huge-encyclopedia-just-about-the-words-luck/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```