How do you respond to adversity, to some bad luck, to your failures? One really inspiring story came to my way that will help to overcome any challenge and, yes, you will never look at a cup of coffee the same again.
So, Harvey Mackey shares the story one friend sent to him. She heard it in a sermon at church. This story is a reminder that no matter what adversity comes our way, the way we respond will mean the difference between defeat and triumph.
A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as soon as one problem was solved, a new one arose.
Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each one on a high fire. Soon the pots came to a boil. In the first she put some carrots, in the second she placed some eggs, and in the last, she added ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil, without saying a word.
In about 20 minutes she turned off the burners. She took out carrots and placed them in a bowl. She removed the eggs and put them in a bowl. Then she poured the coffee into a bowl.
She asked her daughter, ” What do you see?”
“Carrots, eggs, and coffee,” she replied.
Her mother brought her closer and asked to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell she found the hard-boiled egg. Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma. The daughter then asked, ” So what does it mean, mother?”
Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same challenge: Boiling water. Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water they had changed the water.
“Which are you? she asked her daughter. When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?”
For sure I agree with Harvey and every time I’ll go for a cup of coffee this story will serve me as a reminder of how to respond to adversity, and, yes, I’ll never look at a cup of coffee the same again.
If you are the one who is eager to help others and are responding to adversities like coffee beans I would be willing to connect with you and find out more about you. Maybe there is a way we could help even more people. Let’s connect on social or check out this FREE webinar to find out what is that I and my team is doing. Just click here or on the image below.
