Sometimes the smallest requests tell you everything about a person’s character. I call this The Matcha Test.
I asked four different people for matcha with just water. No milk. Their answers told me more about them than hours of conversation ever could.
The first one confirmed immediately: “With water only?” He understood.
The second flat out said: “I can’t do that.”
The third added complication: “But we don’t have ceremonial matcha… are you sure?”
And the fourth hesitated, then said: “Let me see what I can do.”
That’s the entire test. Four people, one simple request, four different windows into how they approach life.
Effort matters, even in things that seem small. A simple “let me try” reveals creativity, problem-solving, and willingness to adapt. On the other hand, “I can’t” shows limits, excuses, and a comfort zone that rules them.
People reveal themselves in these moments—not when the stakes are high, but when the request is simple. Character isn’t built in the big decisions; it’s exposed in the small ones.
So ask yourself: are you the person who dismisses what’s possible? The one who complicates things unnecessarily? Or the one who says, “Let me try—even if it’s not normal.”
Life rewards those who lean in, not those who back away.