There’s a great story that shares a great point. We’ve seen the principle played out in the people around us. What is that story? Read it below.
Are You A Potato, Eggs, Or Coffee?
Once upon a time, a daughter complained to her father that her life was miserable and that she didn’t know how she was going to make it. She was tired of constantly fighting and struggling. It seemed just as one problem was solved, another one soon followed.
Her father, a chef, took her to the kitchen. He filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Once the three pots began to boil, he placed potatoes in one pot, eggs in the second pot, and ground coffee beans in the third pot.
He then let them sit and boil, without saying a word to his daughter. The daughter moaned and impatiently waited, wondering what he was doing.
After twenty minutes, he turned off the burners. He took the potatoes out of the pot and placed them in a bowl. He pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl.
He then ladled the coffee out and placed it in a cup. Turning to her, he asked. “Daughter, what do you see?”
“Potatoes, eggs, and coffee,” she hastily replied.
“Look closer,” he said, “and touch the potatoes.” She did and noted that they were soft. He then asked her to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg. Finally, he asked her to sip the coffee. Its rich aroma brought a smile to her face.
“Father, what does this mean?” she asked.
He then explained that the potatoes, the eggs, and the coffee beans had each faced the same adversity– the boiling water.
However, each one reacted differently.
The potato went in strong, hard, and unrelenting, but in boiling water, it became soft and weak.
The egg was fragile, with the thin outer shell protecting its liquid interior until it was put in the boiling water. Then the inside of the egg became hard.
However, the ground coffee beans were unique. After being exposed to boiling water, they changed the water and created something new.
“Which are you?” he asked his daughter. “When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a potato, an egg, or a coffee bean? ”
What Will You Become?
I find this story to be powerful. It’s one of choice. It’s one of how we turn out.
Each item was placed into the same type of container: boiling water. All three came out differently.
One turned soft. Another turned hard. And another became something new.
The items the father used didn’t have a choice in what they became. The good news is that we all have a choice in what we become when we face difficult situations.
We need to be aware of what we’re becoming in response to the situations we face. There’s a choice to be made. Do you become:
- Soft and weak?
- Hard?
- Something people want?
We will face adversity and challenges while leading. Our responses to them will shape us and those around us. Make sure you’re letting out the best of yourself.
