Low hanging fruits

The concept is that there are frutis which are within easy reach, you can harvest without effort, just reach out or up a little, and pluck them. There will be those that are higher up on the tree, and therefore needs more effort to harvest. You might need to climb the tree (watch out for the huge red ants). Or use a ladder. Or use a long pole with a hook or net at the end to harvest the fruits higher up.

Appropriately, the concept says that the lower fruits are usually not so juicy or sweet. What did you expect?

Conversely, the fruits higher up are the sweetest or juiciest and best tasting ones.

This concept has been turned into a strategy. For instance, new salesmen are trained to identify and target the easy customers - but may not get the big commissions. We hear it all the time too in programmes implemented throughout the world. It's used to build confidence. To show results quickly. To appease the people above you breathing down your neck - "Show me the outcomes. Show me the results. Show me the impact. NOW!". They don't you the chance to work at it.They adopt a policy and then say "show me the results". And of course, you probably didn't work on it, until the last minute.

I had a conversation with a few young colleagues and there's one thing we agreed on. We hate low hanging fruits. We prefer a long-term perspective, working for a goal with results that will last.

No more talk of quick-wins.

These are passion fruits I harvested this morning, with a long bamboo pole with a hook. Actually, one of them dropped right down beside me while I was doing some yard work (to remind me to look up and claim my prize). I didn't wrap them. Some get stung by insects but are still good to eat when ripe. These five were perfect. Ever tried passion fruit blended with a little honey and topped up with some gin? OK, you can skip the gin. Passion fruits are rich in minerals, vitamins and is even an antioxidant. Stay healthy.