Skip to content

A Powerful Short Story About Handling Problems in Life — Are You Carrots, Eggs, or Coffee Beans?

A Powerful Short Story About Handling Problems in Life — Are You Carrots, Eggs, or Coffee Beans?

Excerpt: When it comes to handling problems in life, grandma has some advice. The question is, are you carrots, eggs, or coffee? Read on to find out.


MMQ ♥’s Brain.fm: Functional Music

Get more done with less effort, and unlock your best self on demand. Other music is made to grab your attention, making it hard to think and work, even if you don’t realize it. Brain.fm’s functional music is designed to affect your brain and optimize your performance.


A young woman went to her grandmother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved a new one arose.

Her grandmother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water. In the first, she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs and the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil without saying a word. 

In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her granddaughter, she asked, “Tell me what do you see?”

“Carrots, eggs, and coffee,” she replied.

She brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they got soft.  She then asked her to take an egg and break it.

After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg.

Finally, she asked her to sip the coffee. The granddaughter smiled, as she tasted its rich aroma. The granddaughter then asked. “What’s the point, grandmother?”

Her grandmother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity–boiling water–but 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 granddaughter.

“When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?”

Think of this: Which am I?

Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity, do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength?

Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff?

Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and a hardened heart?

Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you.

MMQ ♥’s Brain.fm: Functional Music

Get more done with less effort, and unlock your best self on demand. Other music is made to grab your attention, making it hard to think and work, even if you don’t realize it. Brain.fm’s functional music is designed to affect your brain and optimize your performance.

ON SALE NOW:
Your “Life with LESS Regret” Guide…

Use Code: FALL15 for 15% Off and get INSTANT access to:

  • 30 Powerful, One Page Meditations
  • 30 Path-Altering Challenges
  • 30 Original, Downloadable Illustrations

…Change your life by changing the DIRECTION of your life in 30 days. Or your money back.

Learn More ➜

Matt Hogan — Founder of MoveMe Quotes

Written by Matt Hogan

Founder of MoveMe Quotes. On a mission to help busy people do inner work—for better mental health; for healing; for personal growth. Find me on Twitter / IG / Medium. I also share daily insights here. 🌱

It has taken me 1,000’s of hours to build this free library for you. If it has helped you, you can support my continued effort here. ☕️

Share this: