Diasporas Dilema - Rich Doesn't Mean Successful

Going abroad has been long regarded as a key to success. Thousands of Zimbabweans have destroyed their livelihoods in a bid to get a ticket and fly away to the diaspora. Most people have sold their houses so that they could buy tickets to go to the UK. Some have resigned from their britter jobs only to become official care givers. Comforted by cheap food in the UK and the buy one get one free they consider themselves rich and attract thousand to Diaspora. Most people have placed themselves in precarious predicament after abandoning their country for greener pastures. The grass does look green out there bit is it. Does one become rich by abandoning his country. Diaspora carries the badge of wealth but actually commands none.  

Society tends to equate the possession of riches with a happy, successful life and the pursuit of riches by going abroad as the best course to achieve success. That's a rather limited definition, however, and reality doesn't bear it out. 100 richest people in this country have not been in diaspora but commands home grown wealth. Rich people are only slightly more satisfied with their lives than the average person. As the saying goes, "money doesn't buy happiness." and it is true that going abroad is not the key to riches.

So if going abroad doesn't necessarily translate into success, what does? That's something very individual. For different people, success means different things. For some it may mean amassing a lot of money, for others it means doing what you love, or leaving the world a better place. There are countless ways to define success. It all depends on the individual. Being outside the country is not at all the get rich quick ticket.

Before packing your bags to go abroad it is a worthy exercise to examine and try to determine what success is for you, set your goals accordingly, and then decide on strategies to achieve the success you want. It's a lot like the process you go through to develop your financial plan. Both involve some trial and error to figure out what works for you. In fact, your decisions about the success goals you want to achieve will have a major impact on that financial plan. The two go hand-in-hand. Going abroad is only a smoke screen and not a sign of being rich.  Commented Dr Herbert Kawadza of Manchester UK.

A person who has stripped down life to the bare necessities in order to devote more time to a beloved activity like Farming or mining should be considered just as successful as the one toiling abroad.and is probably far less stressed to boot. While those are two extremes, finding the right balance between financial gain and the success of personal satisfaction is a process we all should strive to achieve. People can still make it even though they are in Zimbabwe. No rich Zimbabwean is abroad. Our people are being attracted by cheap UK food and have abandoned their roots.  
After all, there's no point in being rich if you're not fulfilled; and if you're not fulfilled, how can you say you are truly successful? Being abroad you are always reminded that you are a foreigner. Self confidence is taken from you.  Richies without self pride is poverty.

You can look at success as either a destination or a process. Maintaining a fixed definition of success can lead to stagnation and even depression. If you look at success as a process, it could be defined as continuing to achieve your ultimate potential as an individual. Once you successfully achieve your goal in one area, you can move on to another. It is not surprising that UK has a large number of Zimbabweans who are stressed and mentally disturbed.

They are in a make do world where they think they are better off than colleagues left in Zimbabwe.  Said Welcome Bhebhe from Luton.   

You could measure these successes by achieving temporary, tangible goals like being a care home manager away from mother land. Alternately, you could set goals where ultimate success takes your entire lifetime, like a happy marriage, spiritual discovery or perfecting your golf swing.Zimbabweans abroad are very unhappy lot and try to pretend to be making it in life.

The quest for success, and the sense of satisfaction it brings, is a motivating factor that helps keep one engaged with life and community. You can look back with pride on what you've achieved, but there is always a new goal to keep you looking forward to the future.

There is nothing richer than being home. One should never abandon his country for greener pastures. These pastures are never green. The richies are in your hand not in you being abroad.

Vazet2000@yahoo.co.uk