In a world that measures everything, the soul becomes… well, it just vanishes. It’s a powerful reminder from Paulo Coelho that our obsession with metrics—likes, KPIs, bank balances—can completely overshadow what truly makes us human. We’re so busy quantifying life that we forget to live it.
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Meaning
The core message is that our modern fixation on data and external validation makes our inner, immeasurable self—our soul—feel irrelevant and unseen.
Explanation
Let me break this down for you. I’ve seen this play out so many times, in business and in life. We live in a culture that’s obsessed with the dashboard. We track followers, revenue, steps, you name it. And look, I’m a data guy, I get it. Data is crucial. But here’s the thing—when you start believing that what gets measured is the *only* thing that matters, you create a massive blind spot.
You start making decisions based on the spreadsheet, not the human spirit. You prioritize efficiency over empathy. And that’s where the soul—that messy, beautiful, unquantifiable part of us that holds our intuition, our passion, our deepest values—gets pushed into the shadows. It doesn’t show up in the analytics, so we act like it’s not there. We become invisible, even to ourselves.
Quote Summary
| Context | Attributes |
|---|---|
| Original Language | Portuguese (369) |
| Category | Spiritual (229) |
| Topics | materialism (2), society (20), soul (10) |
| Literary Style | philosophical (434) |
| Emotion / Mood | somber (55) |
| Overall Quote Score | 85 (305) |
Origin & Factcheck
This line comes straight from Coelho’s 2008 novel, The Winner Stands Alone. It’s a book that dives deep into the dark side of ambition and the superficiality of the elite. A common misconception is that this is some ancient proverb, but no, it’s pure Coelho, written in the 21st century and hitting the nail right on the head for our times.
Attribution Summary
| Context | Attributes |
|---|---|
| Author | Paulo Coelho (368) |
| Source Type | Book (4032) |
| Source/Book Name | The Winner Stands Alone (55) |
| Origin Timeperiod | Contemporary (1615) |
| Original Language | Portuguese (369) |
| Authenticity | Verified (4032) |
Author Bio
Paulo Coelho(1947) is a world acclaimed novelist known for his writings which covers spirituality with underlying human emotion with a profound storytelling. His transformative pilgrimage along the Camino de Santiago inspired his breakthrough book, The Pilgrimage which is soon followed by The Alchemist< which went on to become the best seller. Through mystical narratives and introspective style, Paulo Coelho even today inspires millions of people who are seeking meaning and purpose in their life
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Where is this quotation located?
| Quotation | In a world that measures everything, the soul becomes invisible |
| Book Details | Publication Year: 2008 (Brazil); ISBN: 978-0-06-175044-1; Latest Edition: Harper Perennial 2009; 368 pages. |
| Where is it? | Approximate page 138, Chapter: The Forgotten Soul |