My Reversion Back to a Free-Range Human.

Defining a Free- Range Human.

A Free-Range Human is someone who pursues their life's purpose by doing what they love—on their own terms. They live in alignment with their values, principles, and lifestyle, adding genuine, unconditional value to those they serve. They leverage their skills, expertise, resources, and experiences to help others become the best versions of themselves, empowering them to pursue meaningful well-being goals and a vision of a better future for themselves, their family, their environment, and the larger social tribe they serve.

Born Free-Range.

We are all born Free-Range. We come into this world with the physical abilities and mental faculties to achieve anything our minds can conceive. Think about it—your brain, the very faculty you're using to process these words, is capable of turning dust and soil into rocket ships that reach the moon. Literally. God placed us on this earth with limitless potential, and history proves what we can accomplish. Yet, through conditioning—parenting, schooling, education, social and tribal influences—our minds are programmed to accept limitations. We grow to believe we are only capable of what we’ve been exposed to.

That One Moment.

One of the first times I felt truly alive, aligned with who I am, and fulfilled by my own actions was during my school’s Matric Braai Day. While my friends were planning the usual festivities, I saw an opportunity. We decided to have our valedictory celebration at Tokai Forest. Everyone wanted a braai, but no one wanted to deal with the hassle of organizing it. Without hesitation, I seized the moment. I said, “I’ll take care of the braai—and I’ll charge R60 for two boerewors rolls and a 250ml glass of Bashew’s.” That day, I made my first R500 profit. But it wasn’t just about the money—it was the realization that I didn’t need a fancy plan, degrees, or years of experience to succeed. All I needed was what I already had:

• My intuition

• My ability to spot opportunities

• My non-conformist streak

• My belief in myself

That moment solidified something in me: I was born to create, lead, and thrive on my own terms. The Free-Range Human inside me was still strong, though tainted by the education system I had just endured for 10 years.

Plugged into the Matrix.

Like many, I got caught up in the “comfortable” path of employment. With no money for university, I started hustling straight out of school, against my father’s belief in learning a trade with my bare hands. I canvassed in the property industry, worked for free under the mentorship of Mr. Brey, packed clothes at Mr. Price, and eventually landed a corporate role with JHI in Johannesburg. That’s where my career as a Business Analyst began—and where my Free-Range Human nature started to fade, slowly being extinguished by the 9-to-5 system.

Following the Standard Path

Over the next 15 years, I took on loads of debt on things I didn't need, got married, had three amazing kids, took on more debt, bought a home, and lived from paycheck to paycheck in almost zombie-like mode. From a career perspective, I gained invaluable experience working with big businesses and the corporate industry. I spent four years in Johannesburg with an industry giant property management firm, three years with small emerging businesses, twelve years with the Government working my way up the corporate ladder, and two years with a global software development company. All while intermittently getting involved with countless entrepreneurial pursuits with other Free-Range Humans.

My entrepreneurial soul refused to sit quietly. Even while working full-time, I dabbled in various ventures:

• A tech networking company

• An online sock business

• An airline-ticket marketplace that never went anywhere and

• A furniture business with my brother

Most of these ventures failed, but each one taught me invaluable lessons. The most impactful experiences, however, came when I combined my corporate expertise in digital business analysis with my passion for helping other Free-Range Humans—small business owners and entrepreneurs. Every time I helped an entrepreneur or small business—whether by refining their strategy, streamlining operations, or building digital infrastructures—I felt alive. It was as if I was re-engineering my own fulfillment and joy, reigniting that Free-Range spark inside me. I couldn’t stop myself from getting involved, seeking out opportunities to serve and add value to other Free-Range Humans where-ever I could find them.

The Last Corporate Gig

In 2022, I landed an incredible opportunity with a global software development company and told myself, "Okay, let’s give this my best shot." I closed shop on all my entrepreneurial activities and just focused on this opportunity. It was truly remarkable—visionary leadership, forward-thinking culture, amazing colleagues, global clients, exciting digital projects, 24/7 remote work, complete autonomy, and policies that genuinely looked after their staff. I mean, what more could I ask for? I lasted exactly two years and four months. Why? Because of my Free-Range Human nature. Not even 24/7 remote work could contain my Free-Range Human spirit. How could I be ashamed of my true nature—the very light that makes me who I am and gets the best version of me to serve those who need it?

I was guilty of moonlighting—running my own online adventure company, in the absence of hustling with other entrepreneurs - the one thing that truly kept my Free-Range spirit alive and gave me purpose. But during those 30 months, I learned a critical lesson: with great freedom comes great responsibility. Those months were a stepping stone towards my destiny, strengthening my confidence and preparing me for the next chapter—reverting fully to a Free-Range Human and to never look back again and doubt myself. I mean, how could I? I was selected from among 120 applicants for the post I landed at an amazing software company. I went through a grueling, almost 6-7 stage-gate interview process, with a detailed business analysis presentation that I had to physically present to a panel—and still landed the post. Furthermore, during this stint, I qualified myself with two of the most globally recognized and prestigious industry certifications, sealing my industry experiences with CBAP, CEA, and DipBOK. Come on now! how can I not be ready for this? It’s a complete fallacy and blasphemous to say that I don’t have everything I need to make and pursue a meaningful life as a Free-Range Human.

Life Happens For You, Never Against You.

It’s amazing how life continuously places challenges in our path that contribute to our growth. Life is always showing us what is right and what is wrong—not physically, but metaphysically. The signs are always there.

There’s a verse in the Quran that perfectly encapsulates this:

“And it may be that you dislike a thing which is good for you and that you like a thing which is bad for you. Allah knows but you do not know.” (Al-Baqarah, 2:216)

Every experience, every challenge I faced, contributed to where I am today. The way we perceive these experiences is a mental position—one that we control. (But that’s a conversation for another coffee.)

My Greatest Obstacle.

Over the lifespan of my corporate career, I realized my biggest obstacle wasn’t a lack of experience, qualifications, resources, or opportunities. It wasn’t even the social or career expectations I had to maintain. My greatest obstacle was both internal and external, internal being self-belief, self-doubt and external being comfort and security—the very things designed to make us feel safe—are also the biggest enemies of growth.

Employment although an extremely significant period of life had at the same time mentally enslaved me, making me doubt my own capabilities and the value I could bring to the world. Insecurity, anxiety, and self-doubt clouded my vision, holding me back from taking full control of my destiny.  Now, im not down-playing employment - I mean there is a space and time for every chapter. A very good friend of mine, also possibly my favourite client - told me once, he said 'Shamier, everything in its 'waqt' - when the waqt is in - then you shall know.' In Islam, Waqt is a term used to signify a specific "prayer time" in Islamic practice, emphasizing the importance of praying at the correct prescribed times throughout the day - and here I use it metaphorically in this context - The waqt was in for me. 

The 'Waqt' Came In!

Truth be told, there wasn’t a single event that triggered my reversion. It was a gradual evolution, shaped by countless experiences and entrepreneurial exploits that kept me ‘alive.’ But the moment I realized everything was about to change?

I got called in by my manager and was handed a disciplinary letter. My employer had found undeniable evidence of my moonlighting activities of operating my very own adventure company - the very thing that got me up in the mornings with excitement and joy. A deep wave of worry and anxiety rushed through me—an instant injection of fight-or-flight. But strangely, a strong sense of relief followed, almost immediately extinguishing the fear and uncertainties. 

Sure, I could have done things differently. But everything happens by absolute perfect design. Whether we think we control the situation or not, we are never truly in control. I mean, if you think about it - you would have not been reading this, inspired and motivated to improve yourself and take action. It took 4.56 billions years (approx age of the world), and that recent incident for you to read and connect with this. You think this is by pure luck and chance?

One of my favourites movies and undoubtedly favourite scenes is in The Last Samurai where Katsumoto asks, “Do you believe a man can change his destiny?” Tom Cruise’s character responds, “I think a man does what he can, until his destiny is revealed.”

In that room, holding that disciplinary letter, my destiny was revealed to me.

Through the long paragraphs detailing my so-called “violations,” only one word stood out—DESTINY. Or as I prefer to call it, Qadr [Decree] —the original Arabic term for destiny, signifying divine determination, perfect measure, and precise judgment by the One who creates and decrees all things with absolute perfect wisdom and balance.

It felt like one of those 3D illusion images—you stare long enough, and suddenly, the hidden picture comes into focus. That was exactly my experience. I pretended to read the charges with intense concentration, but in reality, I was tripping out on the words as they morphed before my eyes—shifting into DECREE! Lol.

That was my moment of clarity—the clearest I’ve ever seen my path.

My Free-Range Human has finally broken free. Now, I wake up each day doing what I love—whether it’s leading adventure tours up the breathtaking Table Mountain or empowering others to embark on their own Free-Range journey. Using my expertise and experience as a Digital Business Analyst, I now help other high-performance professionals break free from limitations, unlock their full potential, and strategically build sustainable, profitable online businesses and digital brands. By aligning their passions, resources, and opportunities, they can create a life of purpose, financial independence, and true fulfillment—without compromising stability or responsibility.

Thank you for taking the time to read about my journey. Appreciate and hope to chat soon. Il be interested to hear about your journey.

Download my Free-Range Human Self-Assessment to test your readiness and get a clear picture of where you stand. It’s your first step toward breaking free.

Until next time, find your free-range human nature. Its somewhere, just look deep enough.

Good-bye for now.

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