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GET ON TRACK!It was during my years in the South African Special Forces that Ilearned to track for the first time. In those days I was honouredto be taught and coached by some of the greatest trackers andsurvivalists this continent had to offer. Never did I realize thatone day I will use those experiences and it will become anintegral part of one of the most powerful metaphors that Iwould use for both the journey of life and business. The storiesand principles of tracking and survival has led to what is todayone of the most amazing experiences in the African Wilds forBusinesses and their teams.It was only later in my life that I really started to appreciate theart of tracking. To me this is the greatest of all arts simplybecause the great tracker needs to be in the moment where heintegrates the micro world of the smallest detail with the macrocontexts of reading all the signs using all his sensessimultaneously. I soon realized that this is also true of businessas much as it is true of the journeys of our personal lives.Although unique and different, we all have to deal with thistension of being in different worlds at the same time.Ultimately, I guess, we have to figure out where it is we oughtto be. But this is not where our energy is going, is it? No, ourenergy is going towards the ideals of the masses or to the ‘if only’ world. ‘If only’ I could be where you are, have what youhave, etc. And then we miss the uniqueness of our own story. Then we become untrue to ourselves and we never becomewhat we were meant to be. And I guess that we were meant tobe real players who define our own future simply because wechoose to leave a trail where no one has ever gone before.I guess we are all trackers. Not only in the tracking of animalsor people lost in the wilderness, but also as an art where we
 
reflect on the journey of life. Think of it this way. Every timeyou stand at the cross roads of a great decision, or you have torespond to a defining experience, or a moment in life orbusiness were you are just too scared to take the next step,you are no different from any great tracker in Africa. This iswhat tracking is ultimately all about. People like me and youwho have learned to deal with the tension between the hereand now and what is still to come. People who are not afraid totrust there intuitive gut more often and who can pick up thesigns of a trail still to come.I guess one of the biggest lessons that I have learnt fromtracking in the African wilds is that the great tracker willfunction in two worlds all the time. The one being the trackwhere he will focus on the smallest of detail and the other thetrail where he will trust all his experiences and intuitiveunderstanding of where the trail is still to go. I had to learnthat this tension between where it is we are and what is still tocome is fine. As a matter of fact we were created for thistension and we ought to be good in dealing with it. For me thishas become the integration of all learning and intelligencescreating meaning in life and business as I unpack the puzzlepieces of a trail still to come.On my journey I was honoured to learn from some of thegreatest trackers this planet had to offer. In my early days itwas people like Dewald de Beer and more recently the likes of Adriaan Louw, Robert Bryden and Andreas Liebenberg. All of them great in their own right, yet uniquely different in theirapproach. But the one thing they all have in common is thatthey are good at what they are doing. They all have anabundance mentality. They are always willing to learn fromothers and take input. All these are qualities for a great lifeand a great business.
 
What is it then that I know today of life and business that Ilearned from all of this? Simply this:
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It is possible to be ‘on track’ and by that I mean havingexperiences of more significance and true purpose. Wecan move beyond the survival mode even if it means wehave to redefine success. The fact is that happiness is theresult of true significance and not the other way around.
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 The one intelligence we all have is that of the spiritualwhich deals with the soul of the system or organisation.Not only is it the most transformative intelligence, but italso plays with the boundaries of possibility. This is wherewe embrace the deeper meaning of the business and life. This is where we deal with the reason for our existence.
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For the African tracker it is easy to understand that thereis no path and that we all lay a path in walking. For thiswe all become the navigators of our own journeys and wedo play the role(s) that destiny has for us by simply beingin the game of life. I guess that is a choice in itself: toplay or not to play. Today I understand that I also have consequence. ‘I am’. ‘Iam’ a player with impact and every time I have an opportunityto be out there with people and teams on the track, exploringthe ‘track of life and business’, we rediscover the real trail. It is‘out there’ and it is waiting for us, yet we have to go towards it!All we have to do is to open our eyes and read the signs. Forthis we need to become real and reflect on reality first. For therest we need to trust our gut and learn from all our lessons andexperiences. After all there is nothing as powerful as ourcollective genius if only we can learn to share it in open andhonest dialogue.
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Jacques de Villiers

Hey Callie, I like your metaphor.

reply12 / 07 / 2009
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