Migrant Success Secrets

They know they want to live in the new country. They think life will be better there.

Often, life in their new country is better - even if they have moved there from another western country.

Even if they struggle they will not die. Even if the government won't let them have welfare they will not die. There are plenty of charities to assist in a time of need.

So "succeed or die" is not reality.

And it isn't something other people experience later in life...

Michael Ross

> Michael, I guess this is too obvious to be
> the correct answer, but I'll give it a shot

Hey, don't discount the obvious. I said the answer was simple...

> - they survive on minimum wage because they
> have minimum expenses?

This is true. Why do they have minimum expenses? What is it about their expenses that differs from other people's? Why is that an advantage?

Michael Ross

Good answer...

WHY would having delayed gratification be an advantage?

Michael Ross

> "They are able to survive on a minimum
> wage job because they...Sacrifice" They
> may not want to... after all who does if
> they don't have to... but they must... so
> they do. And the self-discipline that was
> forced on them becomes a habit that turns
> into a very big advantage.

Steve:

I like your thinking... what is forced upon them by their situation becomes habit.

Let me ask... what are they sacraficing? And why are they being forced to?

Michael Ross

This "attitude" is too Tony-Robbin-esk for my liking.

In a western country there is always a fall back safety net. It might not be the government. It might be a charity of some kind. Whatever it is, it is there.

Remember too... this "thing" is something most people do eventually get later in life but it is too late for them to do anything with - mostly.

I don't see this "attitude" in older people. In fact, if anything, they become more welfare focused cause they just gots to get their "pension."

Michael Ross

> Migrants don't bring a fancy lifestyle with
> them. They have no fake standard to maintain
> to impress others because no one knows them.
> This helps them keep their ego in check.
> e.g., I have a masters degree like the
> father from Poland. What would my peers
> think if I used my masters degree as a
> window washer...

How is this an advantage?

Michael Ross

> They knew what they wanted and did what they
> could to get there.

Phil:

This is true. And perhaps shows that whatever you truly want to do, you can. This embeds on their psyche and maybe makes them a better success.

But the element is something other people eventually get in later life. And I don't know many older people who sudddenly get a this "attitude"...

Michael Ross

> OK Michael maybe this is a little off. Could
> it be because they are new to the country
> they don't know what to expect and haven't
> yet learned the 3 most dangerous words (I
> know that) therefore they simply have a
> opened mind while others are close minded
> thus limited in their choices? The answer
> must be so obvious that I must be missing
> the boat because I just don't know any
> better or just can't see it because I'm
> looking at things through colored lens?

Okay... the answer is rather obvious. When you find out what it is you will think, "Of course." And you will see HOW it gives migrants the tremendous advantage it does.

I deduce it is hard to see because it would be like a fish trying to imagine a state of "no water." All his life all he knows is water. Trying to figure out "no water" is tough - not impossible but tough.

Michael Ross

> Hi Micheal -

> while I have my own theories,

I'd like to hear your own theories. Throw them out for all of us to see. Each "reason" is another ingredient for the info-soup.

are you
> looking for "lack of debt" - they
> live within their means? And in conjunction
> with that, have a very different standard of
> what it is to be successful - don't have the
> "keep up with the Jones's mentality.
> Can get by with much less?

That's a good answer. Why is that an advantage?

Michael Ross

> ... have no debt and stay out of debt?

> When they enter their new home, they
> (presumably) have no debts. And, assuming
> they aren't coming from another capitalist
> society, it probably hasn't been ingrained
> in them that they "have" to go
> into debt (i.e., for cars, homes, higher
> education, business start-up, etc.).

Actually, even if they are coming from another capitalist society, they do start out without debt, don't they?

Why is that an advantage?

Michael Ross