Born August 24th in the late 1940s Paulo Coehlo has to be one of the most well-known writers across the world. From the start of age 17 Coehlo had been admitted into a mental asylum about three times, merely because he wanted to be writer and his parents didn’t agree with his dream. Paulo Coehlo knew he wanted to be a write from the beginning, no matter what came up in his life writing was his passion. Although Coehlo had a rocky start when he was younger, a spiritual awakening was what it took to make him write his book The Pilgrimage, and the year after he wrote his best-selling novel The Alchemist.

         Paulo Coehlo has a famous quote that everyone should question themselves about. Do you believe you’re really making a change or are you just spreading your opinion for others to hear? “The world is changed by your example, not your opinion.” To my understanding it means if you just go around spreading your opinion about a certain issue it doesn’t have much effect. But if you are setting the example of the opinion you’re trying to reach out to people that’s what starts a change. In the life of the writer the quote continues to be very significant. I believe that Coehlo wanted to share his thoughts regarding his books. Once he realized in his spiritual awakening that he needed to express thoughts and imagination into these books, right then is when he started setting examples for everyone. Although everyone’s perception is different in viewing what he is saying he is still steadily impacting everyone that reads his books.  

        I’ve noticed from my own observation that my best friend has a strong passion for keeping wild animals out of captivity. Even though she’s in school to become a Marine Biologist she is still involved with campaigns and keeping up with news about places like Sea World. By going that extra mile, she and many other people are attempting to make a change to stop animal captivity in the world.