What is the meaning of the phrase ‘Back on track’?
Returning to a correct path or normal way of being (literally or metaphorically) after being sidetracked or going off course.
What is the origin of the phrase ‘Back on track’?
There has been some speculation that the phrase ‘Back on track’ may date back to early railway usage. That when a train returns to its correct path following a disruption or interruption of some sort, it was said to be ‘Back on track’.
However, as I continued with my research into this, I discovered that the very similar phrase ‘on the right track’ predates the railways, with occasional use in the 17th century. One could speculate that the phrase has its origins in navigating, hunting or foraging.
That said however, the phrase ‘Back on track’ didn’t really become popular until much much later, as recently as the 1970s.
There’s a similar phrase ‘Get back on track’ that people use to say that someone should return to the correct path. This is different to saying ‘Got back on track’ which means that someone has returned to the correct path.
Be careful not to confuse the phrase ‘Back on track’ with the very similar sounding phrases ‘on track’ or ‘back track’. The phrase ‘on track’ means progressing toward success, while the phrase ‘back track’ means to go backwards.
What are some notable uses of the phrase ‘Back on track’?
The metaphor ‘Back on track’ has widespread use. You will often hear the phrase in healthcare, particularly in relation to medical recovery, and in the fields of business, commerce and innovation, and in sporting contexts, following injuries or a tough season.
The phrase ‘Back on track’ is frequently used in politics also, on both sides of the Atlantic. For instance the former US President Barack Obama used it following the 2008 worldwide financial crisis in a speech in 2009, when he said “We will get this economy back on track.”
The phrase has also been used many times by the former UK Prime Minister in relation to improving circumstances in the UK following the UK’s exit from the European Union.
