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The Lion Tracker's Guide To Life

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Somewhere deep inside, you know what your gift, purpose, and mission are. Boyd Varty, a lion tracker and life coach, reveals how the wisdom from the ancient art of tracking can teach you how to recognize these essential ingredients in a meaningful life.

Know how to navigate, don’t worry about the destination, and stay alert. These are just a few of the strategies that contribute to both successful lion tracking and a life of fulfillment. When we join Boyd Varty and his two friends tracking lions, we are immersed in the South African bush, and, although we learn some of the skills required for actual tracking, the takeaways are the strategies that can be applied to our everyday lives. Trackers learn how to use all of their senses to read the environment and enter into a state of “greater aliveness.” When we learn to find and follow our inner tracks, we learn to see what is deeply important to us. In the same way the trip in the classic Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance was a vehicle to examine how to live out our values, the story of this one-day adventure—with danger and suspense along the way—uses the ancient art of tracking to convey profound lessons on how to live a purposeful, meaningful life of greater harmony.

160 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2014

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Boyd Varty

3 books49 followers

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5 stars
968 (51%)
4 stars
597 (31%)
3 stars
252 (13%)
2 stars
53 (2%)
1 star
6 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 181 reviews
Profile Image for Fried Meulders.
8 reviews4 followers
February 15, 2020
I want to give this more than 3/5. But can't give it a 4.
I'm a fan of Boyd. I'm a fan of the tracking mindset & metaphors. I'm a fan of Boyd's stories when I hear him tell them (e.g. in his appearance in the Invest Like The Best podcast).

But reading it just wasn't the same as hearing it
Profile Image for Jon Dale.
13 reviews7 followers
January 6, 2022
Read this book on Tim Ferriss' recommendation. Did not disappoint. Helped me understand why I so love tracking elk in the wild. And helped me understand my own life.
Profile Image for Gail.
512 reviews
January 8, 2023
I love that Brooke and I are sharing a moment. :) Both in transition. She mentioned reading this book and it sounded interesting. It was only a 3-hour listen and I loved his tracking stories. I also liked that he didn't hit his readers over the head with self-help lingo, but sometimes let them make their own deductions.

I'm sure that because I'm a religious person, this quote was meaningful and resonated with me:

He wrote: "My whole life I had been afflicted and blessed with the sense that there is a way life delivers us to a place ordered by some intelligence beyond our own."

That quote above is exactly what he wrote, but these are paraphrases of concepts I liked:

I don’t know where I’m going, but I know exactly how to get there.

Getting lost, as in losing the track, is part of the journey.

Notice what makes me feel good and do more of that. Notice what makes me feel lousy and don’t do it. (The candle that dad put in the bathroom and has been lighting at night makes me happy.) :)

Most people eventually discover inside themselves the desire to serve, to be creative or share themselves in someway.

Find something wild and dangerous to do.

Share my gifts with others.

What is it that restores me?

Create what means the most to me. What’s deeply important to me?

Anything that puts me into my essence is important no matter how small.

Keep trying things.
Profile Image for John Stepper.
542 reviews22 followers
December 24, 2019
Riveting storytelling with a simple but powerful and convincing message. Enjoyable and insightful. I highly recommend it for anyone seeking to find their way and “get on track.”
Profile Image for Vanessa.
137 reviews1 follower
May 21, 2022
A quick and interesting read!

I didn't know anything about tracking before reading this and listening to Boyd Varty's interview on The Tim Ferriss Show, so this was eye-opening.

The overarching narrative follows one of Varty's lion tracking experiences. He also seamlessly weaves in other stories from his life, a deep appreciation of nature and Shangaan culture, and life lessons he's learned from tracking. Here's three of my favorite quotes:

- 'I don't know where I'm going but I know exactly how to get there.'
- 'The path of not here is part of the path of here.'
- 'I give up the importance of my life to instead become a part of life.'

My only reason for not rating it higher is that it didn't particularly resonate with me, which is a completely personal issue!
Profile Image for mp.
28 reviews
April 18, 2022
I actually really liked this book. It was a quick read, a good story with a good message. I think this book just wasn’t for me/not the intended audience. I think this book would be great for someone who is starting to have existential questions, wonders and thoughts. Kind of for a middle age man who is now wondering what to do with his life. OR someone who’s starting to wonder about the meaning of life.
I am also someone who rarely gives out 5 stars. If I could, I would give it 3.5!
Profile Image for Abby.
76 reviews10 followers
May 27, 2020
This is one of those books that is important to the life of each individual and our society as a whole. Such powerful lessons that apply to all aspects of life. Read it!
Profile Image for Kay .
639 reviews6 followers
January 23, 2020
This fairly short book is an enjoyable and informative read. The author, Boyd Varty, merges two worlds as an experienced African tracker and a Master Life Coach. I found the tracking interesting although it was only a day in the life of a tracker. The Life Coach approach shrouds a solid philosophy in a bit of 'feel good' mysticism that to me isn't needed since nature is wonderful enough and the universe is far less interested in the individual than we are in ourselves. Still there are worthwhile truths here in that immersion in nature offers an incredibly meaningful experience; there's a lot going on in nature that takes time and training to fully learn and appreciate; and we all need a bit of danger to feel alive. This book also has valuable guidance shown in keeping focus and working together. Mr. Varty is not a solo tracker but gives equal, if not more credit, to his two companions on the hunt (to view) the lions and how valuable their experience and mentoring are. I liked this book and rate at 3 stars. Even though the stories spanned more than one day of tracking, this was just a little too handy by showing only one day. The burning of overused scrub land to bring back the actual plant life and native wildlife is explained much better in another book I'm reading about Missouri state parks. No how'd-he-do-that there - just a straightforward plan that works well just like in South Africa.
Profile Image for Michael Huang.
892 reviews39 followers
November 25, 2022
Some wisdom after living a life in the bushes tracking lion for safari operation.
• Too much uncertainty is chaos. Too little is death.
• I don't know where I'm going, but I know exactly how to get there. There is no full road laying ahead of you, just a series of first tracks. Don't worry about the right options, focus on the one you took. It's all discovery.
Profile Image for James.
1,139 reviews40 followers
July 29, 2019
Boyd Varty is a life coach who also works as a lion tracker, tracking big game on a nature preserve so tourists can see them on safari. In this book, he merges the two careers, describing a particular tracking while extrapolating life lessons about purpose, confidence, and knowledge for himself and others. An entertaining adventure story that reminds the reader about what being alive means.

[I received an advanced e-galley through Netgalley. The book is due to be released November 22, 2019.]
28 reviews
April 28, 2023
Boyd is on a journey to become a tracker and discover a pride of lions in the South African wilderness. But the book is also rich with parallels to modern life, and how individuals need to trust their senses and their feelings to follow and discover their track in life. “I do not know where I am going, but I know how to get there.” Overall, a fun little read.
Profile Image for Simone Bocedi.
Author 1 book20 followers
February 5, 2022
Such a great little book on tracking your life journey.
One quote that perfectly encapsulates my life up until now and will stay with me forever: “I don’t know where I’m going but I know I’m on the right track”
Profile Image for Erin McIntosh.
Author 1 book6 followers
January 17, 2023
This was such a fun audiobook! I loved hearing Boyd's accent as he recounted stories of following/losing/rediscovering the track and the implications to one's life. It's simple and straightforward and a great reminder of being present to your own life.
Profile Image for sunny.
180 reviews61 followers
March 19, 2022
Would love to return to this in a few years. (I lost count of how many lines I had to take a picture of to journal later.) A beautiful vignette of deep appreciation for the natural world, and how that should shape and change our day-to-day lives.
184 reviews4 followers
January 2, 2023
Fantastic insight with this book. Nature has so much to teach us. We have to be attentive to hear it. The lion tracker has an intense connection to nature, and therefore an intense connection with themselves and others. Modern society and the ambitions that it creates pulls us away from our core being. Learning how to be one with nature enables us to find balance. This book helps describe how to do just that.
Profile Image for Jake.
27 reviews
May 5, 2022
The Lions Tracker’s Guide to Life by Boyd Varty
March ‘22 - Vik Recommendation

“Darshan”
Absorbing the teachers spiritual energy and embodying it for yourself

Inner truths
We know what our calling is, simply have to open ourselves to awareness and be willing to listen
This sparked for me the idea of connection and a pull towards interviewing family members. To be heard is so rare- give them the gift of being heard
“If you track your authentic life and uncover its meaning, it will catalyze other possibilities for living, and what’s important to you will immediately change”
“No one can tell you what your track will be or how to know what calls you - that’s your work. But a great tracker can ask, ‘how do you know you love something?’ Or ‘what do you need that you are missing?’
Be willing to ask the endless discomforting questions of ‘is this life?’ And then grab hold to charter your path
Curiosity
“Tracker can look at something they have seen a thousand times and always see something new.”
What are you profoundly curious about? Insatiably seek understanding or are simply drawn towards?
Ren, “I don’t know where we are going but I know exactly how to get there”
Hear and listen- obsess
Always pause to ask why
Focused on discovery rather than outcome
Renias saying he could walk home after a ten hour flight to London
“Any pain you can fix with walking. Just walk and you will be fine”

Seeing the Signs
Listening to your body speaks to this- idea around IQ, EQ and Body intelligence (ie full body ‘YES’ when you’re ordering something you want off a menu - what does that feel like in your stomach, cheeks, throat, etc. same goes for bigger or smaller feelings as well as consequential ones.

Get in tune like an instrument
Developing consciousness; People who are important to you, things that bring you life, the arrivals of something meaningful
Teach yourself to notice what is important to you- write it down, speak it, articulate to manifest

Mastery
“To me a master is anyone who can be themselves in any situation”
LOVE this and the associated freedom from judgement - extremely attractive quality of being self assured
Cultivate priorities that align with this and then recognize when you’re willing to experience discomfort in the pursuit of mastery
Renias described as:
Force of his lightheartedness makes for an intense aura
Steady energy to calm the lion - body language, movement, tone of voice - convey a feeling. By being slow, Renias was able to create time
Never shamed or belittled - the bush taught the lesson that needed to
Attributed his sexual prowess to eating warthog meat as a child which now, “gives my body a good smell”

Profile Image for Zack Repischak.
85 reviews
December 27, 2022
"The wild self knows what you are supposed to do. The wild self is whispering"

This book accomplished its purpose beautifully.

Relates the almost-lost ancestral, very-human, survivalist technique of tracking lions in order to feel alive and find flow. The author argues that being in the flow, being so grossly engaged in your current activity that you lose yourself and just be. In the same way he says life is very cluttered and it's important to cut that clutter and find more moments of living.

Very well written and I had many moments where I paused the audio book, or skipped back to hear again and then paused to contemplate the epiphanies and moments of poetry.

A few things I wrote down:

It's hard to know when to stay on a trail and win to divert. It's hard to know when the lesson is to persist or to let go. There is often angst about a decision and paralysis can set in. We often think there is a single right way or correct answer. However more Zen is to think there is only one decision and that is the one that was just made. Use intention, take action and let go. Any choice will set something in motion. The only wrong choice is to not to make a choice. The lesson is more about discovery than about being correct.
Profile Image for Kayla.
101 reviews4 followers
Read
October 6, 2019
Boyd Varty’s The Lion Tracker’s Guide to Life nods at Robert Zapolsky’s Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers with its similar indictment of modern life as empty, draining, burdensome, tense, disconnected, and purposeless. Written by a life coach and lion tracker, the book conjures the South African bush through images of acacia thorn, the call of the eagle owl, and the wonder of the lion.

Because of its emphasis on male relationships (it investigates both mentors and the lingering ghost of the father’s legacy), this title may be of more interest to male readers than to women. Painting a picture of the trackers who have mentored him, Varty acknowledges the racial tensions that exist in South Africa; he writes that: “[another, white tracker’s] respect for language and culture is an act of embodied healing.” A small moment in the text, but one wishes these “embodied” acts might be exported!

Varty contrasts a modern life with the lessons of the wilderness. These include living in relation, reading tracks for “mood, movement, and cadence,” beauty in impermanence, and making moments of loss moments of discovery rather than despair. Some of the language verges on poetic and the author has a clear passion for the wilderness. The final chapter feels like a motivational speech and is very powerful.

However, the book exhorts readers to “live an authentic life infused with meaning,” but fails to offer much in the way of guidance. Though the idea of tracking is clearly meant to be metaphorical, the reader who lacks the means to escape to literal wilderness may be left with questions about how, exactly, to implement Varty’s instructions.
Profile Image for Chels Patterson.
609 reviews12 followers
September 6, 2020
This is a wonderful book!

I listened to it intently on a relatively short road trip. Rather than being a self help or solely a memoir self help book. We follow the author and two of his mentors/ friends as they track a lion for the game reserves’ clients. Along the journey the author imparts wisdom of reconnecting not only to nature but to following intently something you want but do not know where it will lead.

There are many good lines such as just find the next track, and once’s you’ve done that, fine the next next track. Or the saying “I don’t know where I’m going but I know how to get there” they both seem not practice in the long wrong but that’s only because of social queues and practices that make us think we must have it all planned then execute.

The author speaks at length about people waiting for a better moment, a break, retirement, before doing what they really want or need. And whilst they wait they are not present in their own life.

Besides the global find your thing and do it, there are also great little ways of being. Such as the older man’s saying of, “what’s going on there?” Instead of “look what’s happening over there!” The former invite interest, curiosity and education. The other is a lesson or worse a command.

This book is not all self help, it don’t give tips or what you should do, just tells you to be aware of your own life. Track what makes you happy, and notice what doesn’t.
34 reviews
April 7, 2021
Spoiler alert! Really enjoyed this self-help book which espouses "tracking" your way to what you should be doing with your life, particularly if you're feeling unsatisfied or unfulfilled. Tracking is instinctual, you're doing it when you lose yourself in what you're doing, flow-like. A way to live a better life is to do more of what you enjoy in this immersive way, and less of what you don't. It's a simple, powerful message.

Boyd's qualified to give us this message. He's a trained and certified life-coach. He grew up partially on the South African preserve his family owns and manages. He's an actual wildlife tracker, though admittedly not a master.

What makes the book such a good read is that Boyd's message is delivered through his recounting of an actual lion-tracking excursion. His descriptions of the outing flow easily and are vivid, the preserve comes alive and is apparently chock full of interesting animals. We hear about leopards, elephants, hippos, eagles, rhinos, and monkey's just to name a few.

In addition, Boyd's companions Alex and Renias are well drawn and interesting. Alex is skilled, more than a little chippy. Renias is a Shangaan, and a master tracker, the embodiment of the lifestyle. Renias brings fun, focus, and a near mystical Presence with him wherever he goes.

This book's absolutely worth the read. You'll enjoy the outing, and be reminded to listen to yourself, act naturally, and enjoy the times of your life.
Profile Image for Sophie Achilles.
26 reviews5 followers
December 12, 2021
After listening to an extremely inspirational podcast by Boyd Varty, I immediately wanted to read his book to hear more of his words. Varty grew up in South Africa and spends his time now as a life coach, fueled by the lessons he's learned as a lion tracker on his family's reserve back home. While it is interesting to hear the parallels he has created between his two lives, I was expecting more out of Varty. Yes, it is interesting to hear exactly how he tracks a pride of lions throughout the book, but there was very little inspirational/motivational anecdotes along the way. His book is based on a few main points: "I don't know where I'm going but I know exactly how to get there." "Track what makes you feel good and bring more of it into your life. Notice what makes you feel lousy and do less of it." Much of this seems like common sense, but the way that Varty comes to these conclusions is through his lessons as a lion tracker. Overall, I don't think this author succeeded in his attempt to achieve his goal of delivering lessons as a life coach, while telling the story of how he tracked a pride of lions, and ultimately should try to focus on one over the other.
Profile Image for Ahmad A..
73 reviews15 followers
May 3, 2022
Beautifully written with a lot of stories that pull you in and engage your senses to be there with the protagonist in that natural environment. I really enjoyed the stories more than the life advice in this book, not because the advice was bad but because the way the author described how the trackers tracked and how they read their environment was more interesting to me.

One thing I found it hard to buy from the book is how we should go about life the way a tracker goes about tracking a wild animal. That analogy seemed to me like a reactive mindset to something "else" that's driving our lives, which is posited as more wild, more natural and generally "better". While I think a person's life-track can be nonlinear and people can change paths and shift gears, I still subscribe to the analogy of the captain of the ship at sea more than the tracker tracking their metaphysical wilder self at play. The captain looks forward and forge a path, rides the wave and wrestles with storms, no small feat with a lot of lessons to navigate life, even when it gets stormy.

All in all, a great book and I highly recommend it.
Profile Image for Laura.
3,205 reviews346 followers
November 21, 2019
While I could have read this book in one sitting, I took my time to absorb and enjoy it between bouts of LIFE happening. Boyd takes us on a day of tracking a lion along with a couple of more veteran trackers. He shows us that this is not a start to finish trail, rather a start until the trail is lost, then find the trail again and continue to move forward. Such is the course of life. You can not quit each time you lose your way. You must remain vigilant and persistent. Keep your eyes and ears open (use ALL of your senses) and not give up in your pursuit.

I had actually written what I considered a more complete review but rather than do it "old school" with pen and paper, it was lost when I hit the save button. I give this book a 4.5 rating on a 5 point scale. Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me a copy to read and review.
1 review
November 14, 2022
This short, thought-provoking book will inspire you to be present and mindful. Varty has unbelievable life experience and wisdom to impart, as well as a great South African accent - I recommend the audiobook given it’s narrated by the author. I made so many highlights of nuggets of metaphorical genius that are worthy of taping to your mirror. For example, “the only right choice is the one you have made,” and, “let the fear bring you to life.” One concept I will take with me is Varty’s idea that, rather than seeking our grandiose life plan, look for the first track, then the next first track, and “learn to be in the process of transformation.”
February 15, 2024
I listened to this as an audiobook. I really liked the story aspect of the book. Although I understood the overall connection that he tried to form between his “track” and life, I didn’t find it to be as impactful as I initially expected.

The podcast with Body and Tim Ferris summarized the learnings of this book quite well imo and in a more engaging manner.

Nevertheless, I’m still happy I read this book!
Profile Image for Liz.
112 reviews
June 3, 2022
For a short book, 160 pages, it packs a punch. The tracking of a lion is fascinating. I read this book because my son-in-law who is from Africa told me that the wild of the continent is in his blood and he hasn’t found that feeling anywhere else. The best description of this feeling is from a wild animal tracker.
The author relates the wild and nature to life messages. This will be personal to each individual reader. However there are some good takeaway messages for anyone.
Profile Image for Shane Ver Meer.
193 reviews4 followers
May 17, 2022
I enjoyed the metaphor of hunt and of tracking at large. I wouldn't say this stands out too much within the realm of self help books, but the narrative's melody and personal development's counterpoint, this was a pleasing read. Also, I read it as it came through the stow line, in sporadic intervals throughout the day. Good times!
Profile Image for Rick Wilson.
797 reviews309 followers
May 11, 2023
Do the audiobook. The writing is fine, but I struggled to connect with it until switching to audio. The author brings his prose to life.

Collection of aphorisms and musings about life from someone who has lived an unconventional lifestyle.
174 reviews3 followers
January 21, 2020
Boyd Varty is a tracker. In this book, he tracks a pride of lions in Londolozi, in South Africa. Along the way, he teaches some life lessons for the reader.

Londolozi is a private game reserve founded by Varty’s family. He works there with other trackers who take tourists out to see the wildlife. The land is preserved for this purpose, and the animals are not hunted. This book is the story of one such adventure, where Boyd and two other trackers follow a pride of lions.

Boyd, along with trackers Renias Mhlongo and Alex van der Heever (co-founders of the Tracker Academy), encounter a lion trail. Their job as trackers is to let the guides know where the lions are so that the tourists can also be taken to see them. So, they set off to trail the lions. The book follows this trailing session throughout all the chapters. Interspersed with the tracking story are some life lessons and tips that Boyd has picked up along the way. So, in a way, the book is two stories. One is the trailing of the lions. The other is the lessons learned by the tracker and how these apply to life.

Boyd draws parallels between the experience of tracking out in nature and general life lessons. He is a life coach and a speaker who has traveled the world to share these lessons. He has also tracked with some of the best trackers in the world.

As a tracker myself, this reviewer may be slightly biased. I wanted to read this book mostly for the tracking stories from Londolozi. I met Alex in 2006 when I hosted an international tracking conference in California. One of the stories related in the book is how Renias saved him from a charging animal. I remember him telling that story in 2006 and it was pretty exciting how he reenacted it! So, for me, reading the trailing of the lion pride was the best part of the book. But, my perspective differs from the average reader due to my tracking background. Others may approach this book as simply a self-help book with a cool story about tracking lions thrown in. For me, that story was the best part of the book. Don’t get me wrong. I loved the life lessons that Boyd taught along the way. But, that wasn’t my main focal point in reading this book.

It is a relatively short book, but there are some great ink illustrations inside that are worth a look. And, you can’t beat the tracking story! If you learn some cool life tips along the way, then it’s time well-spent. I highly recommend it! Even if you are not a tracker, you will get something out of this book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 181 reviews

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