You’re working hard. Tasks are getting ticked off, emails are answered, maybe even a few wins are landing on your desk. So why does it feel like you’re standing still?
It might be because you’ve fallen into the low hanging fruit trap.
It’s a tempting place to be. Easy wins feel good. There’s something satisfying about getting a quick result with minimal effort. It looks like progress, it feels like progress, but often, it isn’t.
The Comfort of the Easy Option
Low hanging fruit is exactly what it sounds like. The task that’s quick to complete. The opportunity that requires little preparation. The thing you already know how to do.
The problem? It rarely stretches you. It rarely distinguishes you. And it rarely leads to real, lasting growth.
In some cases, it even holds you back. You stay within your comfort zone because that’s where success is most predictable. You avoid the harder work, the unknowns, the challenges that might lead to failure, but also to learning, development and change.
Where This Shows Up
You’ll find low hanging fruit everywhere.
In your career, it’s sticking to the tasks you’ve already mastered instead of taking on something that pushes you. In your business, it might be chasing likes and views instead of building long-term relationships or developing something of real value.
If you’re learning something new, it’s choosing the tenth tutorial instead of starting the project that will actually test your understanding. In data work, it might be polishing a dashboard that looks great but hides deeper quality issues you don’t want to tackle.
All of these feel like progress. But they can leave you spinning in place.
So What Does Growth Really Look Like?
Real growth usually involves effort. It takes more time, and it can be uncomfortable. It might not pay off immediately. But over time, it’s the higher fruit, the harder to reach stuff, that makes the biggest difference.
That might be:
- Volunteering for a role or project that feels just outside your depth
- Tackling a longstanding problem that others have ignored
- Committing to a body of work that won’t get you applause right away
These kinds of efforts often go unnoticed at first. But they’re the ones that build momentum over time.
How to Escape the Low Hanging Fruit Trap
You don’t need to avoid quick wins altogether. They have their place. But if you’re feeling stuck or restless, here are some ways to refocus:
1. Take stock of your work.
Are you mostly doing what’s easy and familiar? What have you been avoiding?
2. Choose one thing that stretches you.
Pick something you’ve been putting off because it’s a bit scary or unclear. That’s often a sign it’s worth doing.
3. Make space for deep work.
Quick wins love to fill up the day. Try carving out time where the goal isn’t to finish fast, but to make meaningful progress.
4. Change how you define success.
Stop counting tasks completed. Start noticing when you’ve learned something new or done something hard.
Final Thought
The stuff that really matters often takes climbing. It asks more of you. That’s exactly why it’s worth your attention.
So if you’re wondering why you’re not moving forward, stop looking at what’s easiest to reach. Look up. That next level is probably waiting right there, just a bit further than you’ve been willing to go. Need help? Check out my mentoring services.