Mindset story: The orange parable – what does it take to be extraordinary

There was a young man who had great ambitions. He dreamed of working for a prestigious company that paid well and offered opportunities for growth. Determined, he carefully prepared his résumé and attended several interviews. His efforts paid off when he secured an entry-level position at the company. However, his ambitions did not stop there. He set his sights on a supervisor position, believing that it would bring him greater recognition and financial rewards. To increase his chances of promotion, he diligently completed his tasks. He arrived early some mornings and stayed late in the evenings, making sure his boss noticed his hard work. He was confident that his dedication would be rewarded in time. After five years, a supervisor position finally became available. The young man was excited and eagerly anticipated a promotion. However, to his great dismay, the position was given to another employee who had only been with the company for six months. Feeling betrayed and angry, he marched into his boss’s office, demanding an explanation. The wise boss listened patiently before responding, “Before I answer your questions, would you do a favor for me?” “Yes, of course,” the young man replied. “Would you go to the store and buy some oranges? My wife needs them,” the boss requested.

The young man agreed and hurried off to complete the task. When he returned, the boss asked, “What kind of oranges did you buy?” “I don’t know,” the young man admitted. “You just said to buy oranges, and these are oranges. Here they are.” “How much did they cost?” the boss asked. “Well, I’m not sure,” the young man replied. “You gave me $30. Here is your receipt, and here is your change.” The boss nodded. “Thank you. Now, please have a seat and pay close attention.” The boss then called in the employee who had received the promotion and asked him to complete the same task. The promoted employee readily agreed and went to the store. When he returned, the boss asked the same question: “What kind of oranges did you buy?” “Well,” the employee began, “the store had many varieties, navel oranges, Valencia oranges, blood oranges, tangerines, and more. I wasn’t sure which kind to buy, but I remembered you said your wife needed them, so I called her. She told me she was hosting a party and planned to make orange juice. So, I asked the grocer which oranges would be best for juicing. He recommended the Valencia oranges because they are full of sweet juice, so that’s what I bought. I also dropped them off at your house on my way back. Your wife was very pleased.” The boss smiled and asked, “How much did they cost?”

“Well, that was another challenge. I didn’t know how many oranges she needed, so I asked her how many guests she was expecting. She said 20. I then asked the grocer how many oranges would be needed to make juice for 20 people. It was a lot, so I negotiated a quantity discount. Normally, these oranges cost 75 cents each, but I got them for 50 cents. Here is your change and the receipt.” The boss thanked him and dismissed him. He then turned to the young man, who had been silently observing the exchange. The realization dawned on the young man, and he stood up, shoulders slumped. Without a word, he nodded in understanding and walked dejectedly out of the office. In that moment, he learned an important lesson that success is not just about working hard, it is also about thinking critically, taking initiative, and going beyond the bare minimum to truly add value.