Safari Strategies For Conquering Challenges And Achieving Goals

I hope this blog post finds you well and in high spirits. I recently had the incredible opportunity to embark on a tiger safari in the heart of Madhya Pradesh, and I wanted to share with you the five valuable life lessons I learned during this unforgettable experience. 

We were 6 jeeps and 22 people, a lodge full of us in the quintessential town of Satpura. While our real reason for being together was to celebrate a friend’s birthday, our mission was to spot tigers in this newly expanded tiger reserve.

Below are 5 lessons I learned from my third tiger safari this year: 

Lesson 1: Plan and Strategize

Driving around aimlessly might get you a few animal sightings, but the likelihood of seeing a tiger seems a little slim. However, if you've been tracking the tiger's movement, have knowledge of its territory, its habits and patterns, and plan your route accordingly, then you are more likely to get a good tiger sighting. 

Lesson 2: Be vigilant and keep an eye out for clues

It's almost like a treasure hunt, where one clue leads you to the next until you find what you are looking for. In the forest, we were looking out for paw prints, alarm and warning calls from birds and animals, rustling of trees, and so much more. 

Lesson 3: Trust in what you don't see

After a ride one evening, a friend and I were recounting and sharing experiences from our different jeeps. We were in a newly incorporated area of the tiger reserve with an extremely low tiger density. The tiger enthusiast in me was giving up hope of spotting any tigers, and I began questioning the guide, the park, the tiger density, and so on. I jokingly said to him, "seeing is believing," and he went on to explain the power of having faith and trusting what doesn't meet the eye. The following day, this became more and more apparent as we had to trust in the unknown. Trust that a tiger was behind the bushes and she would step out. Trust that we weren't just waiting aimlessly but for a good reason. The jeeps that found trust in their instincts, the clues, and information and in the unknown were rewarded with a solid tiger sighting. The others saw no tigers. Sometimes it's about having a little faith and trusting in the unknown.

Lesson 4: Be flexible and open to a change of course (Let your gut drive you) 

The guides of our six jeeps had strategized and planned the entire drive. However, there were signs of a tiger in the bushes. Sitting it out and waiting for her to come out meant risking not seeing a tiger at all and breaking away from our plan. But WAIT FOR IT …. the jeep that did follow the clues and waited for the tiger was the one that got a sighting! The jeeps that stuck to the route and the plan of action, not trusting in the clues and what doesn't meet the eye, missed out on the fun!  

Special thanks to Ishira Kumar for graciously sharing this captivating image from the safari!

Lesson 5: Carry snacks, a hat, and a jacket (AKA, plan for challenges)

Challenges are a part of most journeys; they slow us down and often threaten to take us off track. However, planning for them is half the battle won. You know what to expect and can go in prepared. In the forest, the challenges included the long hours, the extreme weather, amongst other minor things and going in prepared helped us stay fueled and comfortable without even realizing we were overcoming challenges.

And now for the fun part - making this relevant to you.

1.Think of a goal and ambition that you are working towards.

2.Re-read this post and make each of the above points relevant to you.

3.What is your plan of action to achieve your ambition?

4.Keep an eye out for clues — what are some signs that you are on the right track? Or that you need to choose a new course?

5.Do these clues signify a need for a change in your plan?

6.Can you anticipate any challenges, and how can you prepare for them?

Above all, have faith and trust in your efforts- have fun doing this! 

You’ve got this! 

Afsheen 

Outsight 

Optimizing Your Reality