Why Climbing the Traditional Ladder Slows You Down and What To Do Instead

Many ambitious people spend their entire lives carefully working each rung of the prescribed career ladder, patient and persistent, expecting steady promotions as their due. Yet, when we examine the real trajectories of transformative leaders and presidents, a different pattern emerges. These high achievers zigzag between fields, parlaying success in unexpected ways or switching ladders altogether. It’s not uncommon to see war heroes, university presidents, or business leaders suddenly emerge as top political candidates, skipping supposed prerequisites that keep others stuck.

Take the game 'Bigger or Better'—college students trade toothpicks for pens, pens for hats, hats for bikes, cycling quickly through sideways (not just upward) moves that amplify value quickly. The pattern is clear: people are more willing to make a small stretch than a big one, and progress comes from chaining together those manageable leaps—what psychologists call 'small wins.'

This approach isn’t just for quirky games or isolated success stories. Lateral thinking, the ability to find and exploit unconventional routes, allows you to bypass congested stepwise tracks and leap ahead, often by offering transferable skills or unique perspectives. The key isn’t to keep working harder in the same spot but to move sideways when the rules seem slow or broken.

Behavioral science consistently finds that breaking large tasks into achievable steps (chunking) and seeking new contexts for our skills accelerates motivation, learning, and social recognition. Progress is less about paying obvious dues and more about staying agile—just like the cheetah, whose hunter’s edge comes from agility, not just speed.

Start today by scanning your own career or project goals for places where you might step off the well-worn track and trade sideways—maybe by volunteering for an unfamiliar role, pursuing a cross-disciplinary project, or tackling a challenge that's just beyond your current comfort zone. Each small stretch is a chance to gain fresh credibility, and with each repeat, you’ll find doors opening that never would have if you’d just climbed step by step. Focus on breaking big ambitions into smaller, winnable bets and let each victory be a springboard, not a resting place. Instead of asking only how to move up, ask how you can move smarter. Give it a try this week by making one deliberate lateral move.