--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: That’s what alchemists do. They show…" description: "\"“That’s what alchemists do. They show that, when we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better, too.”\" — Paulo Coelho" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a4/paulo-coelho-10_alchemists_that-s-what-alchemists-do-they-show-that_836747.jpg" --- # That’s what alchemists do. They show that, when we strive… ![“That’s what alchemists do. They show that, when we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better, too.” quote by Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a4/paulo-coelho-10_alchemists_that-s-what-alchemists-do-they-show-that_836747.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a4/paulo-coelho-10_alchemists_that-s-what-alchemists-do-they-show-that_836747.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a4/paulo-coelho-10_alchemists_that-s-what-alchemists-do-they-show-that_836747.jpg) > ““That’s what alchemists do. They show that, when we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better, too.”” [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. Alchemists symbolize self‑improvement that radiates outward, improving the surrounding world. **In simple terms:** Improving oneself improves everything around. Key Takeaway Cultivate personal growth. Themes self‑improvement alchemy community Mood inspirational hopeful Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - self‑help - leadership - spiritual practice Key Concepts personal development collective benefit Questions to Reflect On - Can personal change affect society? - What limits exist for altruistic improvement? A Different Perspective May overlook systemic barriers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alchemists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alchemists/) [Alchemists Strive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alchemists-strive-606692/) [Better Better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-better/) [Strive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strive/) [Strive Better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strive-better/) ## Related quotes > [“That’s what alchemists do. They show that, when we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better, too. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/that-s-what-alchemists-do-they-show-that-when-we-strive-to-become-2/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/when-we-strive-to-become-better-than-we-are-everything-around-us/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [This is why alchemy exists," the boy said. "So that everyone will search for his treasure, find it, and then want to be better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/this-is-why-alchemy-exists-the-boy-said-so-that-everyone-will-search/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“when we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better, too.” “Well,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/when-we-strive-to-become-better-than-we-are-everything-around-us-2/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“They show that, when we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better, too.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/they-show-that-when-we-strive-to-become-better-than-we-are-everything/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Always strive to do better, be better, have the best because that's what God wants for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/always-strive-to-do-better-be-better-have-the-best-because-that-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Don't get comfortable...Always strive to do better. Be better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-get-comfortable-always-strive-to-do-better-be-better/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I strive to get better and better in understanding how the world works.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johanna-konta/i-strive-to-get-better-and-better-in-understanding-how-the-world-works/) [Johanna Konta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johanna-konta/) > [“And what went wrong when other alchemists tried to make gold and were unable to do so?" "They were looking only for gold his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/and-what-went-wrong-when-other-alchemists-tried-to-make-gold-and-were/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [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/) > [“When we love, we always strive to be better than we are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/when-we-love-we-always-strive-to-be-better-than-we-are/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“when we love we strive to become better than we are”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/when-we-love-we-strive-to-become-better-than-we-are/) [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. And that's where the power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/the-world-we-live-in-will-be-either-better-or-worse-depending-on-2/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [When we love, we always strive to become better than we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/when-we-love-we-always-strive-to-become-better-than-we-are/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Because when we love, we always strive to become better than we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/because-when-we-love-we-always-strive-to-become-better-than-we-are/) [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 Alchemists quotes > [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/) > [“The old stars-and-moons act was a good way to farm the unduly trusting. But the need to raise money in the first place seemed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/the-old-stars-and-moons-act-was-a-good-way-to-farm-the-unduly/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [The alchemists in their search for gold discovered many other things of greater value.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/the-alchemists-in-their-search-for-gold-discovered-many-other-things/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) > [When alchemists first learned how to distill spirits, they called it aqua vitae, the water of life, and far from considering it the work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-logsdon/when-alchemists-first-learned-how-to-distill-spirits-they-called-it/) [Gene Logsdon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-logsdon/) > [I thought Alchemists avoided alcohol the same way they do primary colors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/i-thought-alchemists-avoided-alcohol-the-same-way-they-do-primary/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [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/) > [“By and large, the only skill the alchemists of Ankh-Morpork had discovered so far was the ability to turn gold into less gold.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/by-and-large-the-only-skill-the-alchemists-of-ankh-morpork-had/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“And what went wrong when other alchemists tried to make gold and were unable to do so?" "They were looking only for gold his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/and-what-went-wrong-when-other-alchemists-tried-to-make-gold-and-were/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“We wait, starving for moments of high magic to inspire us, but life is full of common enchantment waiting for our alchemists eyes to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-nordby/we-wait-starving-for-moments-of-high-magic-to-inspire-us-but-life-is/) [Jacob Nordby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-nordby/) > [Why does it have to be so cut-and-dried? In your view, I either have to hate them or be in league with them. There’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/why-does-it-have-to-be-so-cut-and-dried-in-your-view-i-either-have-to/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [“Codebreakers are linguistic alchemists, a mystical tribe attempting to conjure sensible words out of meaningless symbols.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-singh/codebreakers-are-linguistic-alchemists-a-mystical-tribe-attempting-to/) [Simon Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-singh/) > [We have achieved two of the three alchemists' dreams: We have transmuted the elements and learned to fly. Immortality is next.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-more/we-have-achieved-two-of-the-three-alchemists-dreams-we-have/) [Max More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-more/) > [“With or without our knowledge, we are all alchemists.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-micha-el-leventhal/with-or-without-our-knowledge-we-are-all-alchemists/) [Eric Micha'el Leventhal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-micha-el-leventhal/) > [Hey, have you ever heard of the Alchemists? " "Sure, " he said. "Of course you have. " "Why? Did you run into them?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/hey-have-you-ever-heard-of-the-alchemists-sure-he-said-of-course-you/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [Alchemists turned into chemists when they stopped keeping secrets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-s-raymond/alchemists-turned-into-chemists-when-they-stopped-keeping-secrets/) [Eric S. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-s-raymond/) [Browse all 28 Alchemists quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alchemists/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“That’s what alchemists do. 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