On the importance of “No”

by Paulo Coelho on June 9, 2012

“Hitler may have lost the war on the battlefield, but he ended up winning something,” says M. Halter. “Because in the 20th century, men created the concentration camp, resuscitated torture, and taught their fellow men that it is possible to close one’s eyes to the misfortunes of others.”

The most important words in any language are small words. “Yes,” for example. Love. God. These are words that are easy to utter, and they fill in empty spaces in our world.
However, there is one word – also a small one – that we find difficult to say:
“No”.

And we see ourselves as generous, understanding, and polite. Because “no” is considered to be cursed, egoistic, not at all spiritual.

We have to be careful here. There are moments when we say “yes” to others and in fact are saying “no” to ourselves.

All the great men and women in the world have been people who, rather than say “yes”, said a very big NO to everything that did not fit their ideal of solidarity and growth.

We may often be called intolerant, but it is important to open up and fight against everything and all circumstances if we see injustice, manipulation or cruelty. No-one can admit that, after all is said and done, Hitler set a pattern that can be repeated because people are incapable of protesting.

So scars are necessary when we fight against Absolute Evil, or when we have to say “no” to all those who, sometimes with the best of intentions, try to impede our journey towards dreams.
 
 

Online Bookstore HERE
Kindle (four languages) HERE

 

{ 157 comments }

K S S Pillai August 15, 2012 at 7:37 am

Today there are many Hitlers around the world occupying seats of power. They indulge in inhuman acts with impunity because people who would otherwise say ‘No’ are mortally frightened of them and would prefer to look the other way when they hear the cries of the oppressed.

Mohammad Ali Gaad July 26, 2012 at 4:25 pm

When hitler lost against one whom he couldn’t even imagine, he killed himself not only because of his fear but he did so,not for surrendering or to say “YES I lost”.

norman roy June 24, 2012 at 3:30 am

“Hitler set a pattern that can be repeated because people are incapable of protesting.” i just want to express some simple views about why there are so “many” people incapable of protesting (i don’t hide myself from it). Each person has its own “hard core” a core of dreams, desires, happiness,etc… that will extremely push one to protect it no matter what. Protesting is an act of disapproval, it needs a genuine force of faith to express what’s inside the heart. Yes, fear is always subtle for it lays behind the weakest point…”the need to survive.” Persons who are incapable to protest are persons who fear that they will not survive, to protest is a risk a threat to their hard cores. Reality bites, the world of optimism views it as a box of chocolate, yes indeed it’s really is but as “experience” heightens my consciousness that i can say heroes die, saints die, because they exceeds the fear of death, yes they have fear, but they just did a greatest “decision” that protesting is not for my own sake but to protect the dreams, desires and happiness of my community. i am expressing this not to project myself as really courageous person, but a person strives to grow with my experiences… thank you for the opportunity to express.

Inner values & inner strength... June 24, 2012 at 11:38 am

Daag acchey hain… Thats what i say … The HIDDEN GOOD…The Bigger Prespective…. Virtues worth following… Paulo Hats Off to you sir …

souls are free.... flying up above in the skies of surrender ....absolute surrender .....surrender to this moment.... June 20, 2012 at 11:55 am

……………souls have set free……………
intuitively receiving the message from her….
the soul of the universe…..

For some NO’s are like….” DAAG ACCHEY HAIN ” ( advertisement of surf exel…meaning being… some of the spots in your life are Good are for some “HIDDEN GOOD ” )

Souls flying freely into the skies of SURRENDER….
ABSOLUTE SURRENDER…..SURRENDER TO THIS MOMENT….
leaving behind the past the future……..ONLY THIS MOMENT….

New Dreams to be fulfilled New Heights to be achieved
knowing that their wings are powered with energy of the soul of the universe..

Its time to fly high ….very high…..up above into new skies….
its time for a new creation….a new painting to be done on this new canvas…
time for a miracle to be done again……

……SUCH NO IS BETTER THAN MILLIONS OF YES…….

cristina cabral June 19, 2012 at 1:00 am

Com certeza!!

Sharon June 16, 2012 at 6:01 pm

Thank you for the beauty you have brought into my world. Your writing has carried me through many difficulties.

raam June 13, 2012 at 1:52 pm

No regrets bye. you are good and pure heart
you have made me come back to life
wont write any further on my as well pc blog
you are very sincere and idealistic person
whatever happened was for Bigger purpose
was to make me come back to life
you never loved me you are only of Thomas
hilal came only to free Pulo
never say you are not social or a good person
BELIEVE ME IF YOU DO HAVE NEVER MET SUCH BEAUTIFUL PERSON IN MY LIFE . BEAUTY NOT ONLY EXTERNAL ITERNAL TOO .
keep on writing you are very good at it.
your thoughts and ideologies are like of OPRAH .
ARE WORTH WORSHIPING.
I m happy singh
as i told you go and never turn back
read aleph you will better understand what was the purpose of this journey trans siberian journey of Paulo with Hilal with a promise to each other to forgive and forget… love n peace to you all…

Sue June 13, 2012 at 3:20 am

Good morning&Evening ! ^^ here is Sue from China. Thank you so much for sharing all those words to us! everytime when i have something unhappy,like i am afraid of letting people hate me, stay far far away from me when i said NO to others. i don’t know how to deal with such things. i can’t control my mind or even my heart when people ask me for “help”, but that kind of help weren’t the help i would help without hesitation. like cheat in the exam.
even though i study hard and people around me think that WOW, Sue, i am count on you when the exam coming. i am not that good! i am not smart both in study amd social communicate. when they said so i always smile and say nothing.
yep,i have to study hard no matter what happen, it is all my knowledge not study for anyone else.
have a good day,love anf peace. bye~

Heimo Alexander Kruschinski June 12, 2012 at 4:33 pm

Thank you for this wonderful text. I absolutly agree. How important this topic is can be seen today. The memorial place Yad Vashem has been desecrated. I’m German. I was born long after the war. I bear no blame for what happened under the Nazi dictatorship. But I have a responsibility. Actually, a responsibility of each person on this planet. But I’ll say it loud and clear. NO! NEVER AGAIN!

ELIZABETH RUBIO VAZQUEZ June 12, 2012 at 12:18 am

TODA ESENCIA SE PIERDE CUANDO EL OLVIDO LLEGA A TU VIDA ES CUANDO LA PERSONA MUERE TOTALMENTE

adry June 11, 2012 at 5:46 pm

Decir no a nosotros mismos ,es ir muriendo lentamente.
marcos ,seguire escribiendo.

Nelly Nazario June 11, 2012 at 2:40 pm

Las cicatrizes son las marcas de una prueba de la vida que debemos recordar para pasar a otro nivel espiritual

Krishna June 11, 2012 at 10:43 am

Yes, this resonates with a quote of Mahatma Gandhi – “A ‘No’ uttered from the deepest conviction is better than a ‘Yes’ merely uttered to please, or worse, to avoid trouble.”
He could also have accepted the easy path, accepting the British rule, and may be, India would still be under British rule. He taught to say “No” as Hitler exploited the human tendency to not say “No” !!!

toñi June 11, 2012 at 9:23 am

Gracias Paulo! Completamente de acuerdo con lo que has escrito. Hace años, recibí una visita de uno de mis hermanos (una visita galáctica de éstas que hacemos con nuestra energía para ver como van las cosas por ahí), bueno y mi hermano me lanzó un pensamiento “vives rodeada de demonios”, se refería al decir demonios a mi familia: padres, algunos hermanos,etc.
Entonces empecé a cambiar, a saber decir “no”. Los que no aceptaban las cosas se fueron alejando y los que no podían vivir sin mi, se adaptaron a vivir cerca mio respetando mis opiniones.
Es necesario saber decir que no, las cicatrices son necesarias para recordar lo que no podemos volver a repetir o intentar evitar repetir los mismos errores.
En este punto, pienso exactamente igual que lo que has escrito en el blog. No podemos cerrar los ojos dejándo que el mundo que nos rodea se convierta en un infierno.
Un abrazo,
Toñi.

toñi June 11, 2012 at 9:34 am

Otra cosa más,
éste mismo hermano me ha venido a visitar este sábado pasado y me ha lanzado otro pensamiento “no vallas a ése lugar, es peligroso, él está allí esperando que vallas, no vallas” y sabes que es lo que hizo…lo que me dijo mi hermano, no fui a aquel lugar el sábado por la noche. Me quedé viendo la tele en el hotel. Siempre voy a ese sitio el sábado por la noche, pero esta vez he escuchado la llamada de mi hermano.
un saludo,
Toñi.

Empié June 11, 2012 at 5:21 pm

Escucha tu corazón y hazle caso.

En cierta etapa de mi vida estaba vulnerable, los demonios se llevaban todo lo que podía, poco a poco fui recuperando mi espada, entre tanto si no lo veía claro del todo elegía la soledad, era la única manera que tenía de evitar caer en sus trampas, poco a poco la soledad me hizo fuerte. Ya no hay demonios en mi vida, todo acaba… todo empieza.

Un saludo Toñi.

Empié June 11, 2012 at 5:39 am

Parece que poco a poco recupero la voluntad. Todavía no soy el que seré, pero dentro de poco podré concretar mis pensamientos, parece que esto llega a su fin.

Aun estando prácticamente solo, no siento soledad, siento ganas de trabajar y de revancha. No puedo trabajar como quisiera, aun así desde que me levanto hasta que me acuesto no paro de hacer cosas. Me acerco cada vez más. Los necios han olvidado toda precaución y campan libremente, emborrachándose, ostentando, y sintiéndose triunfadores, atacan libremente, convencen a los ciegos, seducen a los pueblos, sin embargo, en plena orgía de victoria no se dan cuenta de que sus pies son de barro, y de que las cosas cambian.

El rey está cerca, dentro de poco dejará su disfraz de mendigo y la caza comenzará (simbólicamente hablando, a ver si alguno se va a creer que yo que sé¡¡¡), sin avisar, de 0 a 100, para que no les de tiempo a rectificar.

Un saludo, ya se que parece que esto y un poco loco, pues sí, pero solo un poco, lo justo para ver más allá.

Hasta pronto.

ngl68 June 11, 2012 at 10:29 am

You said right words. I agree with you that whoever wins is not aware of the feet of clay and then fall to the ground. I agree with you the world is round, sooner or later what you do to others will happen to you

maria emilia June 10, 2012 at 9:11 pm

Sim, eu concordo com o Não. O não do basta que não fecha as olhos que sai de cima do muro, até mais, beijos …

Genevieve Ross June 10, 2012 at 8:55 pm

It wasn’t until I read The Pilgrimage that I understood (accepted) to fight “absolute evil” and to follow my dreams I must say NO at times… my ego has wasted too much of my soul’s time trying to garner approval from all.
Thank you for the reminder Paulo,
Genevieve

Khushey June 11, 2012 at 7:59 am

But its hard, at times. You cant say no to parents. You just have to wait for the time when you get your independence so you can hope to follow your dreams.

Paris June 10, 2012 at 4:32 pm

There are also times when we say no to ourselves, rather than saying no to a particular situation or a person in a secret hope that we will prove ourselves wrong! We overstep the first whispering notes of wisdom that our heart sings to us :)

Shine June 10, 2012 at 3:26 pm

True!! Thanks, love Avantika