The Champion Within Article
The Safari Called Life
Many of my current keynote presentations to major
corporations have focused on my recent experiences in Africa and how they can
be applied to our individual and collective performance in pursuit of
excellence and quality of life. I view life as a way of traveling on a
mysterious, ever-challenging safari, where the trail is blazed by our daily
choices, actions and responses.
There is an oft-repeated cliché I have heard ever since I
was a boy: “It’s a jungle out there!” Every television and newspaper
headline seems to shout about the perils of existence. Bad news is always the
special meal of the day and because of the media’s increasing preoccupation
with what’s wrong in the world, each generation believes it is living in the
most difficult times in history. How are we to face our deepening feelings of
apprehension and fear in view of increasing global unrest and insecurity? How
can we achieve survival, success and serenity in this savage paradise called
life?
What I have learned on my annual pilgrimages to Africa on
safari can be applied to our own daily lives. Life in every environment today
is a savage paradise. Savage to the ignorant, uneducated, unskilled, prejudiced
and ill-informed. A paradise to those who have learned to adapt to and manage
change, remain flexible, unhook prejudices, view failures and mistakes as
temporary detours and target corrections, and remain lifelong learners. Our
safari guides were comfortable and at ease in the dangerous ecosystem of
Africa. We, on the other hand, felt vulnerable, insecure and hesitant. We were
the newcomers, the tourists. They were the guides, confident through training
and experience.
In my book, Safari to the Soul, I mention another
book that had made similar points, titled The Jungle Is Neutral, written
by Col. F. Spencer Chapman, an officer in the British army during World War II.
Col. Chapman survived for four years as a guerrilla fighter in Malaya. Cut off
from the outside world, which listed him as “missing, believed killed,” he was
isolated deep in the jungle, undergoing ordeals such as few individuals have
ever lived to document. He escaped twice from prison camps because, in his own
words: “I needed to get back to my assignment!”When questioned later about his adversaries being expert jungle fighters and the fact that he was up against scorpions, yellow fever, malaria, poisonous snakes, incessant rain, wild tigers, leeches and undergrowth so thick it can take four hours to walk a mile, these were Col. Chapman’s observations:
“I had my bouts with most of what you mentioned. Some of it
I was prepared for. Some of it I learned on the job. I managed to get around by
bicycle, dugout canoe, mostly on foot, and some of the time on my belly
crawling through the jungle muck. The jungle provides drinking water, fruit and
food, shelter and plenty of places to hide. I also made friends with the tribal
chiefs and natives who had lived there all their lives and who taught me coping
skills.”
When it was brought to his attention that others who spent
only days or weeks in the jungle swore that the jungle is hostile, cruel and
vindictive, Col. Chapman answered resolutely: “To me, the jungle is neutral. It
is your knowledge, attitude, skills and habits that see you through. The jungle
is what it is. It doesn’t think. It is the backdrop for your journey. Your
preparation, training, resourcefulness and dedication are what count.”
On your own safari in pursuit of your professional and
personal goals, as you look forward to a new beginning and the climb to a
higher level, where you have never journeyed before, remember that acronym
called the “KASH-flow” of life.
K is for Knowledge. Invest fully in your lifelong
learning. The shelf-life of your formal education, with any and all of your
degrees, is about eighteen months. Every five minutes there is a new scientific
or technological breakthrough that upgrades or obsoletes what had gone before.
Knowledge is the new power and the greatest tool for combating fear and
prejudice.
A is for Attitude. Examine your “why” and compare it
with those who are peak performers in every business. View problems as
opportunities to grow and understand that virtually every successful
entrepreneur has been a problem-solver and risk-taker. Taking the calculated
risk is what creates security. Seeking security, provided by others, is the
greatest risk to your personal freedom and fulfillment. Your attitude is either
the lock on or key to your door of success.
S is for Skills. Attend meetings, conference calls
and take advantage of every opportunity to gain insights and experiences from
successful role models and mentors. We learn by observation, imitation and
repetition. Model yourself after mentors with proven track records of success,
whose character traits and personal lives match their professional
accomplishments. Behind every world-class athlete, there is a world-class
coach. The same holds true in every business arena. Surround yourself with
winning coaches.
H is for Habits. By the inch, success is a cinch. By
the yard, it’s hard. Break your major goals down into mini-goals and stair-step
your way to the top by establishing a dynamic daily routine that eliminates
time-wasting activities and maximizes performance-achieving activities.
Remember, the more you train, the more you gain. Habits are like submarines.
They run silent and deep. Repetition is the key. Habits grow, over time, from
cobwebs into cables to shackle or strengthen our lives. Practice makes
permanent. Only perfect practice makes perfect. You don’t break habits, you
replace them.
By using the KASH formula, you will increase your cash flow
and your productivity, giving you more free time to go on safaris when and
where you want to. Instead of a tourist, you’ll become a tour guide, with a
greater awareness of your environment, courage based on skills and training,
and an attitude of confidence to turn every stumbling block you face into a
stepping stone to success and fulfillment.
Life is a safari into a savage paradise. The quality of your
journey will depend on your preparation, choices and responses. Become a guide,
instead of a tourist!
- Denis Waitley
