Fruits vs. Roots: How to Create Real, Lasting Results
About two years ago, like we did nearly every year since our now-adult daughters were still crawling, we made our way to our place in Maui. While it was familiar, it was still a highly anticipated trip.
Unfortunately, just two days in, a few miles north of us, the town of Lahaina—which we had walked through hundreds of times over the years and had stopped for our annual family photo just the night before—was decimated by one of the worst fires in U.S. history. Homes, businesses—everything the people of Lahaina had built—was destroyed in an instant.
This isn’t the blog to talk about the devastation but about the hope that emerges when everything around us seems lost. For Lahaina, it was the 151-year-old banyan tree, which, without intervention, was in danger of being lost as well. But, as it turns out, it wasn’t the tree’s appearance that mattered—it was the root system.
That’s the lesson here: What’s beneath the surface is what will keep you going when everything else falls apart.
Imagine if the arborists trying to save the tree didn’t know how to nurture it or kept making mistakes that didn’t strengthen the roots. They understood that nourishing the roots was key to the tree’s survival. Without that deep foundation, the tree would have died.
Sound familiar?
You’ve been grinding. You’ve been working hard, staying busy, doing everything “right.” Yet, somehow, the results just don’t match up with the effort you’re putting in. You see others getting the accolades, the wins, the fruit, while you feel like you’re stuck spinning your wheels.
The problem? You’re focused on the fruit, not the roots.
Fruit is what everyone notices—the visible results, like the leaves that emerged nearly two years later on the banyan tree. But it’s the roots that make those results possible. If your foundation isn’t strong, no matter how much you hustle, the fruit won’t last. Short-term success may come, but it will fade. You can’t hustle your way to sustainable success. Just like the banyan tree, your foundation needs to be deep and strong, so when the storms hit, your success doesn’t crumble.
Your roots are your foundation—the beliefs, values, and habits that shape your actions. Too often, we focus on the results, the fruit. But if the roots aren’t strong, or if the fundamentals of how you nurture your growth aren’t in place, the fruit won’t be sustainable.
Activity without Accomplishment
Activity doesn’t always equal results. If the work is hollow at its core, the results won’t last. When you focus only on the fruit, you’re missing the most important question: What’s going to keep this going long-term? Just like the banyan tree almost didn’t make it without strong roots, your success depends on the fundamentals you build underneath the surface.
That’s why accountability is so important. You need people who will challenge you when your roots are weak—who will help you focus on the real work, not just the surface-level wins. These are the people who won’t just cheer you on when things are easy, but will call you out when things get tough because they care about your growth.
Empirical Research Backs This Up
Research from Stanford shows that those with a growth mindset—people who focus on effort, learning, and improvement—are more likely to sustain success. Gallup’s research reveals that people who have regular coaching and are held accountable for their actions perform better and are more likely to achieve their long-term goals.
Ask yourself: Are your roots deep enough to support the success you’re chasing? It’s not about looking good for the moment—it’s about building something that will last for the long haul. The habits and mindset you build today will determine the fruit you produce tomorrow.
Remember: The GRIP Factor is all about focusing on what matters more and letting go of everything less. If your roots aren’t grounded in the right things, no amount of hustle will bring you the results you want. It’s not about faking it—it’s about being real with yourself and building from the inside out.
This Week’s Challenge:
- Look at Your Roots – What beliefs and values are driving your actions? Are they aligned with the long-term success you want? Strengthen your foundation, and everything else will follow.
- Focus on Consistency, Not Quick Wins – Stop chasing short-term fruit that doesn’t last. Build habits and a mindset that will lead to sustainable success over time.
- Get Real Accountability – Seek people who will challenge you and hold you to higher standards. These people will help you dig deeper, strengthen your roots, and grow from within.
Stop chasing the quick fruit. Start digging deeper, strengthening your roots, and building from the inside out. If you want results that last, you have to focus on what’s beneath the surface, what’s driving your actions, and what truly matters. Challenge your foundation, and everything else will follow.