Fear of failing appears to be our biggest barrier to happiness. When the crystal merchant ruefully admits why he won't travel to Mecca. "Because it's the thought of Mecca that keeps me alive. That's what helps me face these days that are all the same. I'm afraid that if my dream is realised, I'll have no reason to go on living". It is here that Coelho reveals the true soul of his novel. The man who trades his dreams for a life of mediocrity, who knows he can succeed but doesn't have the courage to do so, ends up living a wasted life.


