---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What you still need to know is this…"
description: "\"“What you still need to know is this: before a dream is realised, the Soul of the World tests everything that was learned along the way. It does this n..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/803/paulo-coelho-10_dream_what-you-still-need-to-know-is-this-befo_2910893.jpg"
---

#  What you still need to know is this: before a dream is…

![“What you still need to know is this: before a dream is realised, the Soul of the World tests everything that was learned along the way. It does this not because it is evil, but so that we can, in addition to realising our dreams, master the lessons we’ve learned as we’ve moved toward that dream…” quote by Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/803/paulo-coelho-10_dream_what-you-still-need-to-know-is-this-befo_2910893.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/803/paulo-coelho-10_dream_what-you-still-need-to-know-is-this-befo_2910893.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/803/paulo-coelho-10_dream_what-you-still-need-to-know-is-this-befo_2910893.jpg)

> ““What you still need to know is this: before a dream is realised, the Soul of the World tests everything that was learned along the way. It does this not because it is evil, but so that we can, in addition to realising our dreams, master the lessons we’ve learned as we’ve moved toward that dream. That’s the point at which most people give up. It’s the point at which, as we say in the language of the desert, one ‘dies of thirst just when the palm trees have appeared on the horizon.’ “Every search begins with beginner’s luck. And every search ends with the victor’s being severely tested.””

[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.

Dreams are pursued, but the universe challenges us to master lessons before achieving them, often causing people to quit at the hardest point.

**In simple terms:** The world tests us before we achieve dreams, teaching us to persist.

Key Takeaway

Embrace challenges as learning, not reasons to quit.

Themes

perseverance growth spirituality

Mood

determined reflective

Type

inspirational philosophical

When to use this quote

- career advancement
- personal goals
- creative projects
- spiritual quests

Key Concepts

self‑actualization testing resilience

Questions to Reflect On

- What lessons have you ignored in pursuit of a goal?
- How can you reframe obstacles as growth?

A Different Perspective

Tests may feel overwhelming and cause doubt, risking abandonment of the dream.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Palm trees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/palm-trees/)

## Related quotes

> [“What you still need to know is this: before a dream is realized, the Soul of the World tests everything that was learned along…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/what-you-still-need-to-know-is-this-before-a-dream-is-realized-the-2/)

[Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/)

> [“What you still need to know is this: before a dream is realized, the Soul of the World tests everything that was learned along…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/what-you-still-need-to-know-is-this-before-a-dream-is-realized-the/)

[Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/)

> [“What you need to know is this: before a dream is realized, the Soul of the World tests everything that was learned along the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/what-you-need-to-know-is-this-before-a-dream-is-realized-the-soul-of/)

[Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/)

> [“Fear of failure prevents you from realising your dreams of success.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/habeeb-akande/fear-of-failure-prevents-you-from-realising-your-dreams-of-success/)

[Habeeb Akande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/habeeb-akande/)

> [I'm used to realising all my dreams and targets through my determination and ambition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/essam-el-hadary/i-m-used-to-realising-all-my-dreams-and-targets-through-my/)

[Essam El Hadary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/essam-el-hadary/)

> [It's been a dream for me since I was six years old to go to the Olympic Games and to finally have that dream…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-du-toit/it-s-been-a-dream-for-me-since-i-was-six-years-old-to-go-to-the/)

[Natalie du Toit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-du-toit/)

> [The day I became a hero, my dream was realised. Everything else is a bonus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vijay-sethupathi/the-day-i-became-a-hero-my-dream-was-realised-everything-else-is-a/)

[Vijay Sethupathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vijay-sethupathi/)

> [Growing up, everyone dreams of certain things, and they map out a direction that their life would take. Working with A. R. Rahman sir…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sid-sriram/growing-up-everyone-dreams-of-certain-things-and-they-map-out-a/)

[Sid Sriram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sid-sriram/)

> [I just wrote out a long description of my best dream and realised telling people your dreams just can't be allowed, it's too boring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-ritchie/i-just-wrote-out-a-long-description-of-my-best-dream-and-realised/)

[Charlotte Ritchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-ritchie/)

> [“I am the promise that cannot be broken. I am the love that will never be severed. I am the dream that will not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehreen-ahmed/i-am-the-promise-that-cannot-be-broken-i-am-the-love-that-will-never/)

[Mehreen Ahmed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehreen-ahmed/)

> [“For years he had possessed her dreams, but she'd been the master of those dreams. Now, he possessed her memory, and there was nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-lessman/for-years-he-had-possessed-her-dreams-but-she-d-been-the-master-of/)

[Julie Lessman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-lessman/)

> [“If you can dream - and not make dreams your master; If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim; If you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/if-you-can-dream-and-not-make-dreams-your-master-if-you-can-think-and/)

[Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/)

> [Beware of he who would deny you access to information, for in his heart he dreams himself your master.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pravin-lal/beware-of-he-who-would-deny-you-access-to-information-for-in-his/)

Pravin Lal

> [If you can dream - and not make dreams your master.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/if-you-can-dream-and-not-make-dreams-your-master/)

[Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/)

> [“If you can dream - and not make dreams your master; If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-icke/if-you-can-dream-and-not-make-dreams-your-master-if-you-can-think-and-2/)

[david icke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-icke/)

## 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 Dream quotes

> [“Once we become sensitive to dreams, we discover that every dynamic in a dream is manifesting itself in some way in our practical lives”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-johnson/once-we-become-sensitive-to-dreams-we-discover-that-every-dynamic-in/)

[Robert A. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-johnson/)

> [A thing of beauty is a joy for ever;It's loveliness increase;it will never pass into nothingness;but still will keep a bower quiet for us,and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keats/a-thing-of-beauty-is-a-joy-for-ever-it-s-loveliness-increase-it-will/)

[John Keats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keats/)

> [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/)

[Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/)

> [“Not that it matters, when you dream, there's no outside or in. Your mind is an unimaginable bloom. A willow catkin as big as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-shapero/not-that-it-matters-when-you-dream-there-s-no-outside-or-in-your-mind/)

[Rich Shapero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-shapero/)

> [Academically, I was never that interested. I skipped classes. My biggest dream was to have a coffee shop, but I had no idea how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-espinosa/academically-i-was-never-that-interested-i-skipped-classes-my-biggest/)

[Daniel Espinosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-espinosa/)

> [“As dreams are the healing songs from the wilderness of our unconscious - So wild animals, wild plants, wild landscapes are the healing dreams…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-pendell/as-dreams-are-the-healing-songs-from-the-wilderness-of-our/)

[Dale Pendell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-pendell/)

> [Alone in a world, With millions of souls Walking in circles Trapped in their dreams unhealthy, unclean walking in circles, now do not disturb…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-bennington/alone-in-a-world-with-millions-of-souls-walking-in-circles-trapped-in/)

[Chester Bennington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-bennington/)

> [“Doing the work to transform your dreams into reality is like walking across the earth. It can be that hard, and it can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dragos-bratasanu/doing-the-work-to-transform-your-dreams-into-reality-is-like-walking/)

[Dragos Bratasanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dragos-bratasanu/)

> [As far as Im concerned, I didnt dream - ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-sturgeon/as-far-as-im-concerned-i-didnt-dream-ever/)

[Theodore Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-sturgeon/)

> [I have long felt that the way to keep children out of trouble is to keep them interested in things. Lecturing to children is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/i-have-long-felt-that-the-way-to-keep-children-out-of-trouble-is-to/)

[Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/)

> [I guess, it's a father's dream for his daughter to be known around the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liza-soberano/i-guess-it-s-a-father-s-dream-for-his-daughter-to-be-known-around-the/)

[Liza Soberano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liza-soberano/)

> [I am just enjoying the dream of being Milan coach at the age of 40.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/i-am-just-enjoying-the-dream-of-being-milan-coach-at-the-age-of-40/)

[Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/)

> [Sometimes life seems like a dream, especially when I look down and see that I forgot to put on my pants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/sometimes-life-seems-like-a-dream-especially-when-i-look-down-and-see/)

[Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/)

> [“I had a dream. I had an awesome dream.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-had-a-dream-i-had-an-awesome-dream/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“His dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/his-dream-must-have-seemed-so-close-that-he-could-hardly-fail-to/)

[F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/)

[Browse all 26,527 Dream quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“What you still need to know is this: before a dream is realised, the Soul of the World tests everything that was learned along the way. It does this not because it is evil, but so that we can, in addition to realising our dreams, master the lessons we’ve learned as we’ve moved toward that dream. That’s the point at which most people give up. It’s the point at which, as we say in the language of the desert, one ‘dies of thirst just when the palm trees have appeared on the horizon.’ “Every search begins with beginner’s luck. And every search ends with the victor’s being severely tested.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Paulo Coelho"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/what-you-still-need-to-know-is-this-before-a-dream-is-realised-the/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Dream"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/what-you-still-need-to-know-is-this-before-a-dream-is-realised-the/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/803/paulo-coelho-10_dream_what-you-still-need-to-know-is-this-befo_2910893.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/803/paulo-coelho-10_dream_what-you-still-need-to-know-is-this-befo_2910893.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/803/paulo-coelho-10_dream_what-you-still-need-to-know-is-this-befo_2910893.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“What you still need to know is this: before a dream is realised, the Soul of the World tests everything that…” — 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": "“What you still need to know...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/what-you-still-need-to-know-is-this-before-a-dream-is-realised-the/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/what-you-still-need-to-know-is-this-before-a-dream-is-realised-the/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
