In his book 'The Alchemist', Paulo Coelho tells the story of a young man named Santiago who had a dream and the courage to follow it. In it, Santiago set out on a quest to search for a hidden treasure that leads him to the pyramids of Egypt.

His convictions were continuously tested, but his persistence and courage won out. Through the trials he endured, by the end of this beautiful and inspirational story, Santiago discovered that the real treasure in life "lies where your heart belongs."

Santiago's courage helped him to realize that the real treasure was the journey itself, together with all the knowledge he acquired and the discoveries he made along the way.

We too are on a quest for hidden treasure in our lives. Many of us though, get sidetracked by the glitz and glamour of material treasures. We fill ourselves up with things in an effort to comfort ourselves, live up to an idealized image, and/or prove our self worth. We fail to see the real treasure in our lives - our health, values, successes, failures, challenges, discipline, balance, fulfillment, etc...

The real treasures are those things that we discover through introspection and experience, not those we pick off a shelf or order off of eBay.

Think of all the wondrous insights you would miss if you moved through life without taking time to acknowledge the potential gifts experience bestows on you. If you rush through life with a specific outcome in mind, you risk ignoring or obscuring the obvious treasures lying in your path. Just like windshield washers furiously wipe away the rain, we furiously cast aside experiences we deem negative, bad or undesirable.

When we dismiss events that happen in our life, we miss out on the opportunity to learn from them. Some of the most painful experiences turn out to carry the most invaluable lessons as well. If you have the courage and faith to keep an open mind, you will realize you don't know where your journey will take you. When there is no set road map for you to follow, it takes courage, commitment, faith and discipline to take the road less traveled. On that road great gifts are created and revealed.

These are the gifts your true treasure is made of. Your challenge is to identify the gifts you have been given, and figure out a way to use those gifts to invite personal fulfillment and satisfaction into your life.

Here are some life coaching ideas for preparing to rise to the occasion.

1. Identify those things in life that you truly treasure - the things that will motivate you to move forward and follow your own path.
2. Identify the things that you need to leave behind in order to fully experience the journey - the things that keep you in your comfort zone, that are safe and familiar.
3. Identify the sacrifices you are willing to make for sake of the journey - the things you cherish that you are willing to give up in order to move from good to great.

You can only find the treasure within yourself if you are prepared to take the journey. Pursue this quest in every area of your life. Reconnect with the hidden treasure that is already within you. Only by fully experiencing the journey will you uncover the path to your hidden treasure and ultimately your genuine success. You need to have faith that riches beyond your wildest imagination are within your grasp. All it takes to access them is an open mind, a willing spirit, and a sense of adventure.

Bon Voyage!