Interesting Things Happen Whilst Exploring The African Bush

A few years ago, when I was still living in South Africa my wife and I went on a walking safari in the Timbavati Nature Reserve adjacent to the Kruger National Park.

Now this is big 5 country so we had an armed guide with us, ‘just in case’.

Early one morning, not long after a beautiful dawn had broken, we were out on the trail in an area where the guide knew there was a cantankerous old buffalo bull.

I was following closely behind the guide, keen to see any action, with my wife a few paces behind.

As we walked I started to pick up a bovine scent and whispered to the guide that I could smell something.

He whispered that we were near where the old bull tended to hang out so had better be quiet and keep alert.

It wasn’t too much longer before there was a loud cracking of branches and the old bull made a mock charge from about 20 yards away. He only came a few yards forward then looked on us with malice before suddenly wheeling off into the bush.

My heart was pounding but I was filled with a strange feeling of fear and excitement. We stayed put for a while before the guide whispered that it had gone and started walking again.

The incident had sharpened all my senses and it wasn’t long before I saw a darker shadow in the bushes 30 or 40 feet away. I whispered urgently to the guide: “I can see it” I said.

The guard dropped to the ground shakily bringing up his .458, I dropped likewise whilst my wife was off like Usain Bolt at the olympcs - nothing was going to stop her.

There were a couple of other people from our party behind her but they were felled like skittles at the bowling alley as my wife charged through.

The poor guys had no idea what hit them or what was going on.

As the guide was getting ready to try and shoot the old bull to save us, I suddenly became aware of this incredible wall of noise that had appeared and would have done ACDC proud.

I was wondering where the deafening cacophony was coming from when I noticed that the guide and myself had both started shouting in unison.

We were yelling at the buffalo like possessed demons... Don't ask how we made the din we did, or what we said, because I've no idea.

But it worked!

Not only had an olympic sprinter disappeared into the distance, leaving only dust behind, but his two prime targets had vanished and been replaced by an incredible wall of noise.

Some kind of voodoo was going on and he was having none of it…

He stopped dead in his tracks and, showing a remarkable agility for such a mountain, turned on a dime and charged the other way.

He left behind scored earth, a cloud of dust and some very nervous people.

We listened to the crashing of the bush as the bull made his getaway, for a minute or two, then gingerly got to our feet and backed away.

We collected the others on our retreat and found my wife on the finish line of her gold medal dash.

Then, as we started to consider our near miss, we started chattering together like a group of nervous monkeys, relieved to have escaped.

As our chattering quitened down, I noticed I suddenly had superpowers.

My senses were in hyperdrive and everything was super-enhanced. My sense of smell, hearing and eyesight were incredible.

I could spot an ant moving at 100 paces. What an experience…

It didn’t really sink in at the time, but afterwards, with a little reflection, I picked up the lesson that was so poignantly driven home in that moment of fear:

Let that sink in for a moment…

Because fear is one of the main factors holding people back from achieving their dreams.

Oh, it might be disguised in some way, but if you look deeply enough you’ll find fear in the backdrop.

It could be fear of change, fear of making a mistake and looking a fool, fear of failure or even fear of success…

It is our fear that holds us back, so take a moment and ask yourself:

Think about what is stopping you from achieving your dreams or what it is that is preventing you from being the super confident & successful person that, deep down, you yearn to be?

How about that project you keep meaning to get started with but, somehow, just never seem to get going?

If you were to spend a little time thinking about it I am sure you would find that...

Be honest with yourself, there's no shame in it.

Now face your fear.

Just go ahead and get started with whatever you want to do.

Don’t think about the ‘ifs’ and the ‘buts’, just get going.

Take the smallest step you can right away. Soon your fear will turn into excitement as you realise what you can achieve because…

As George Addair so wisely said:

"Everything you have ever wanted is sitting just the other side of fear."

And, if you need a little help along the way, feel free to get in touch.

Sometimes, even the most challenging fears are easier to overcome with a ‘partner’ onboard.

Good luck, and don’t let fear put you off from achieving your greatness!