Book Title: The Coffee Bean: A Simple Lesson to Create Positive Change
Authors: Damon West and Jon Gordon

A short, light read. This book is only 102 pages long but the actual book ended on page 90.
It uses a story about putting the following in boiling water: carrot, egg & coffee bean.

The question is: “What happens when you put a carrot or egg or coffee bean in boiling water?”

My realization is that the only thing constant is water and the only difference is how we act and react in a situation. Do we want to be a carrot? Or do we want to be an egg? Or do we want to be a coffee bean? It is always a choice.

If you correlate it to our life, its the same struggles just different people, situations until we learn the lesson.

Before leaving my team in Singapore, I shared with them my insight that the Supply Chain Team is always needed to solve problems. Looking at it from a different perspective or at a macro level, it will be same underlying issues example customer issues (just different customer or reason) & product issues (out of stock, overstock, delay, quality issues or finished goods, raw materials, packaging materials).

If you think about it, that is the main reason why we are employed or we pursue entrepreneurship – because we need to solve a problem.

At the end of the day, it is all about us reacting to the situation:
1) Victim/Defeat Mindset – I give up. I cannot do this. It is too hard. I don’t have the time.

2) Defensive/Hermit Mindset – I will put walls so that I will not get hurt again. I want to be alone as I don’t trust other people.

3) Winning/Transforming/Learning Mindset – Asking the questions like what can I learn from this experience or what is this experience teaching me.

But, you can always take back your power.  How?

– You can change the Victim/Defeat Mindset by saying I can do this, It may seem hard but I can do it, Because I want it so much then I am willing to set aside time to do this.

– You can change the Defensive/Hermit Mindset to a Winner Mindset by saying that this one experience does not mean that everyone will do the same thing and cannot be trusted, that I will not put walls because I will be the one closed it but instead I will define and put healthy boundaries.

You know, I wish someday I will be able to write a seemingly simple story or parable that has deep meaning so people can learn while being entertained. Some people are not readers and most especially may not like the typical hardcore lecture book that tries to force the numerous principles & learnings. Didn’t you notice that Jesus used parables and Aesop used fables that are stories embedded with different lessons and meanings because it is easier to read, accept and “understand”? One speaker said that “Edutainment = education + entertainment”.

What about you? What have you been wishing about that you haven’t pursued? Maybe it’s time we stop wishing and start doing – without getting attached with the outcome or results but just enjoying the process.

The Table of Contents for your reference: