It was during my years in the South African Special Forces that I learned to track for the first time. In those days, I was honoured to be taught and coached by some of the greatest trackers and survivalists this continent had to offer. Never did I realise that one day, I would use those experiences and it will become an integral part of one of the most powerful metaphors that I would use for both the journey of life and business. The stories and principles of tracking and survival have led to what is, today, one of the most amazing experiences in the African wilds for businesses and their teams.

It was only later in my life that I started to appreciate the art of tracking. To me, this is the greatest of all arts, simply because a great tracker needs to be in the moment, where he integrates the micro world of the smallest detail with the macro contexts of reading all the signs, using all his senses simultaneously. I soon realised that this is also true of business as much as it is true of the journeys of our personal lives. Although unique and different, we all have to deal with the tension of being in different worlds at the same time. Ultimately, I guess, we have to figure out where it is we ought to be. But this is not where our energy is going, is it? No, our energy is going towards the ideals of the masses or to the ‘if only’ world. ‘If only’ I could be where you are, have what you have, etc. And then we miss the uniqueness of our own story. Then we become untrue to ourselves, and we never become what we were meant to be. We were meant to be real players who define our future simply because we chose to leave a trail where no one has ever gone before.

I guess we are all trackers. Not only in the tracking of animals or people lost in the wilderness but also as an art, where we reflect on the journey of life. Think of it this way. Every time you stand at the crossroads of a great decision, or you have to respond to a defining experience or a moment in life or business where you are just too scared to take the next step, you are no different from any great tracker in Africa. This is what tracking is ultimately all about. People like me and you who have learned to deal with the tension between the here and now and what is still to come — people who are not afraid to trust their intuitive gut more often and who can pick up the signs of a trail still to come.

One of the biggest lessons that I have learnt from tracking in the African wilds is that the great tracker will function in two worlds all the time. The one being the track, where he will focus on the smallest of details, and the other is the trail, where he will trust all his experiences and intuitive understanding of where the trail is still to go. I had to learn that this tension between where it is we are and what is still to come is fine. We were created for this tension, and we ought to be good at dealing with it. For me, this has become the integration of all learning and intelligence creating meaning in life and business as I unpack the puzzle pieces of a trail still to come. On my journey, I was honoured to learn from some of the greatest trackers this planet had to offer. In my early days, it was 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 their approach. But the one thing they all have in common is that they are good at what they are doing. They all have an ‘abundance mentality’.

They are always willing to learn from others and take input but also share all they have with others. All these are qualities for a great life and a great business.

What is it then that I know today of life and business that I learned from all of this? Simply this:

•   It is possible to be ‘on track’, and by that, I mean having experiences of more significance and true purpose. We can move beyond the survival mode, even if it means we have to redefine success. The fact is that happiness is the result of true significance and not the other way around. 


•   The one intelligence we all have is that of the spiritual, which deals with the soul of the system or organisation. Not only is it the most transformative intelligence, but it also plays with the boundaries of possibility. This is where we embrace the deeper meaning of business and life. This is where we deal with the reason for our existence.

• For the African tracker, it is easy to understand that there is no path and that we all lay a path in walking. For this, we all become the navigators of our own journeys, and we do play the role(s) that destiny has for us by simply being in the game of life. I guess that is a choice in itself: to play or not to play.

Today, I understand that I also have consequence. ‘I am’. ‘I am’ a player with impact, and every time I have an opportunity to be out there with people and teams on the track, exploring the ‘track of life and business’, we rediscover the real trail. It is ‘out there’ and it is waiting for us. We have to go towards it! All we have to do is open our eyes and read the signs. For this, we need to become real and reflect on reality first. For the rest, we need to trust our gut and learn from all our lessons and experiences. After all, there is nothing as powerful as our collective genius if only we can learn to share it in open and honest dialogue.

Before I share some of the principles of tracking with you in a series of articles still to come, let me leave you with a final thought: “It is possible to advance to significance still in this life with both your business and your personal life.” I guess that, if I have to start somewhere, I would start with myself first! Just a thought!

Callie Roos

OnTrack experience for corporate leaders