"Do What You Love" Is a Luxury. Immigrants Start With "Do What You Must."

"Do what you love" is a luxury. Immigrants start with "do what you must."

One of my first jobs in college was being a janitor. Lucky for me, it was just a Christmas break job.

I was fortunate to land jobs at big-name firms right after graduation. On paper, I was "making it." But in reality, I felt like I was only making enough to survive and to help my family back home survive.

But in those early years, none of that felt possible. I poured everything into trying to be "better" — studying for the CPA, the CFA, then going to business school. More studying. And more studying.

And then, slowly but surely, things began to fall into place. Today, I can proudly say I've checked off all three of those goals.

For many of us, the immigrant journey is a journey of patience. It's not always about where you start but how long you're willing to stay the course.

Jobs like being a janitor may be where the story begins for many immigrants. But it doesn't have to be where it ends. And for many of us, it isn't.

Because when you've left everything behind, you do what you must so that one day you can do what you love.

So if you're in that survival phase right now, keep going. It won't last forever. Most of the immigrants you see "making it" today started somewhere. You will too.