Nothing is as constant as change, they say. One of the major changes I have encountered so far was switching residence from Africa to North America (two different worlds) in the Fall of 2010. I started off with pursuing a B.Sc which I completed with Summa Cum Laude. Following that, I was hired as a professional in my field at a reputable company. I am currently on my way to becoming a published author and an international speaker (and everything else I’ve been created for). My journey [in the foreign land] definitely wasn’t without challenges. I had to deal with the culture shock, difference in climate (hardcore! moving from a place with ~25 degrees C to a world with ~ -10C degrees C ), difficult people and so many others. In spite of them all I was able to find success in the new culture.
Although there are several factors that have helped me succeed in the new culture, I will like to share 3 points which I have posed in the form of questions; these are questions I ask myself from time to time. (That’s because questions are the answers, and that’s why I love questions.):
1. Why am I here?
A question of purpose. (“Here” just refers to the place you find yourself.) Before taking any action or making any decision, it always helps to ask the question, “why“. And that’s because our “why” is the driving force behind every single thing that we do. The more sincerely and accurately you can answer this question, the more you’ll make out from each moment of your life. The response you give to this question will eventually form the building block of motivation for you as you advance your journey in life especially when things get tough. Notice how I used the word “when” and not “if”; you’ll agree with me that things usually get tough, but when you know your “why“, you’ll most likely break through the walls of obstacles whenever they rise up in front of you. I keep my “why” in front of me and that has always paid off.
2. What kind of friends do I associate with?
Studies have shown time and time again that we are the average of the 5 people we spend most of our time with. That’s why you want to choose your friends wisely because the people you mostly hang out with will either propel you toward achieving your goals or impede you from getting there. For example, while I was at school, I had study group members for couple courses that I took so we all could help and learn from one another. Now that I am out of school, I attend seminars and conferences where I get to meet with people of like mind who I can learn from. That’s because I know that environmental factor has a huge influence on our level of success.
3. Do I believe in myself?
As you journey through life, situations will challenge you. You’ll come across people who will frustrate you, look down on you, talk down on you, and belittle you, but your ability to believe in yourself will determine to a very major degree your level of success. Someone once said that it is possible for people to succeed in life even when others don’t believe in them, but hardly can one succeed when one doesn’t believe in one’s self. Personally as a Christian, my faith has a very strong tie with my self-belief and that’s something I can’t trade for anything whatsoever, seeing how firm it has rooted me down the soil of life. I have had people treat me badly, but because of my self-belief, nothing they did would sweep me off balance.
By asking yourself these questions, I believe you’ll be able to find the answers you require to take the necessary actions that will help you obtain your desired success anywhere – even in a new culture.
Those are 3 main things that have helped me succeed in a new culture. How about you? What are 3 things that have helped you succeed in a new culture?