New York City: the concrete jungle that for some reason attracts all likes of people from the far corners of the world. Everyone that comes here does so with the intention of finding a job and becoming successful.
Well as a newcomer there is one thing that is for certain, you are at a huge disadvantage. Your lack of knowledge of the city and the way things work out here will really set you back.
Many people come here with Hollywood movies engrained in their brains about succeeding in New York and how easy it can be. Well there is one thing for sure, nothing comes easy in this city. All people here are out to get the same thing you want, it's a constant hustle and no one is going to let you have anything, you're going to have to earn your keep.
This is one of the toughest cities to make it in, yet it offers a wide array of opportunities. Surviving in this city will be one of the most difficult tasks you will encounter. Here are the 10 reasons why you won't survive in New York City:
You lack confidence in your abilities, which is a major sign of weakness.
While you may not be the sharpest tool in the shed, you can be the hardest working person in the bunch. Hard work always beats talent when talent doesn't work hard. Although you may not be the best, it's all about being confident in your work. No one wants to work with an individual who isn't proud of their own work. It's a sign of weakness and honestly in this city there is no room for weakness.
You take failures too personally.
There is one guarantee in this city: You Will Fail! There is no such thing as success without failure. If you take failures too personally then you will never make it in this city. Take your failures and learn from them, then promise yourself that you will never make those mistakes again. A failure is a blessing in disguise because it comes with many lessons. Surviving in New York City isn't about how many times you fail, it's about how quickly you can get yourself up to try again.
Competition is fierce.
New York City is the capital of the world and everybody is trying to make their way to this city. While this is great because it brings about different cultures and ideas to one place, it is a double-edged sword. All this means for you is that there is more and more competition consistently flowing in. Not to mention the native New Yorkers that already live here who already have an upper hand just by growing up here.
You're easily intimidated.
Moving into this big city can really be intimidating and cause a lot of people to break down. Once you get here, you are forced into the daily rat race because there is no other way to survive. However, many people come here and expect things to be given to them, and when they realize they actually have to work for something, they get a little flustered.
No one out here is going to give you anything, everyone is out to get the same thing you want, so you must be up for the challenge. Know that people want to see you fail and that you can't be intimidated by them. Always hold your ground.
You don't ask the right questions.
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If you want the right answers, you need to ask the right questions. As a newcomer to this city you will be oblivious to what is happening. In order to get yourself into the groove of things, you need to get out there and ask questions. This holds true especially at work. No one knows where you'll be in the next five years, but it is important that you get the most out of any experience.
While you're at your low level job pushing papers and doing sh*tty work, know that it's your job to figure out where you want to be. Take the time out to ask questions and learn new things. Your bosses have a lot of experience and some more than others are willing to open up and hit you with some knowledge.
You think everyone out here is your friend.
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This city holds 8 million people and the sad truth is that you will find yourself alone most of the time. Although people may seem nice, there isn't any reason why you should think these people are your friends.
You will surely meet some people who are friendly and they will become your friends, but don't expect just anyone to have your best interests in mind. Everyone is in it for themselves. no ifs, ands or buts about it. So always ask yourself if the person you're dealing with may have his or her own self interests in mind and what they might be.
Your cramped studio apartment is making you homesick.
Your overpriced 400 square foot studio is just not going to cut it. You barely have enough room to put your bed in let alone have people over. This is usually a far cry from your parent's spacious home. Your studio may be smaller than your actual bedroom, but hey welcome to the crazy game we call real estate here in New York. These small spaces will easily break you down and have you wanting to go home ASAP. Don't worry for the rent you pay in NYC, you can rent a nice-sized house elsewhere.
You think that success is going to come easy
Watching all those movies and TV series about success in New York has somehow made you believe that everyone succeeds in New York. Well when you get here, you're in for a rude awakening.
This is one of the toughest cities to break through in any industry, let alone succeed in. If you want to be amongst the best, you're going to have to bring your best on a consistent basis.
You can't keep up with the pace of the city.
They don't call it a New York minute for nothin'; this is truly one of the most fast-paced cities in the world. Just alone keeping up with the fast pace will have people wanting to leave this city. If you can't keep up, you will truly be left behind. No one is here to babysit you, your training wheels have come off and it's your job to keep up. No one wants to keep around dead weight.
You're going to spend your money before you get a chance to save it.
Saving money is one of the most crucial factors to your survival in this city. Just walking out the door and breathing, you know you already spent $20 dollars; your commute and lunch alone will do that to you. This is one of the most expensive cities in the world and keeping your money here is extremely difficult. Once your paycheck gets in, your bills and necessities will leave you with barely any money to enjoy yourself. Times are lean out here at first and it is your job to find a way to financially survive.
