I am going back a few years now when I was working in London. Most of my customers I was servicing were Indians and they had a different culture you needed to be aware of. Not everyone paid attention to the details  and by knowing the background of my hundreds of clients it paid dividends. They became friends and there was a mutual respect.

Over the years I got to know them well personally and most of them came from poor families and it was all about their next generation. They had come over to find a better life and opening a bottle store or a newsagents wasn't their priority, but educating their children was. I got that and respected them for what sacrifices they were making.
<center><img src="https://ipfs.busy.org/ipfs/QmNwVMgBkDuNSwudRzfH6qssRJzzLEZmHJoiPF11oEj4Kv"/></center>
[source](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3838822/UK-milkmen-central-role-common-culture-delivered-far-pint.html)


The one customer I got to know very well and he managed to buy a small business by doing three jobs. This is tough as he was the milkman before everyone woke up, then he worked in a friends Newsagent shop until 6 pm and finally he worked at the petrol station until 10 pm. He was surviving on around 4 hours sleep a day and had no life.

It took him 3 years before he could afford his own newsagents with a flat above it for his family. This was a common theme amongst the community as that is what was required to get anywhere. Sacrificing for your families futures and becoming something. The funny thing is the customers they were servicing everyday were mainly unemployed and living on handouts from the government. I know they couldn't understand this as we spoke about it on numerous occasions.
![martins-newsagents.jpg](https://ipfs.busy.org/ipfs/QmWBddWzbte3etMVhtV5Wp8DAKHDWDGAU3wtfKvifkbqrj)
[source](https://www.halebarns.com/halevillage/martins-newsagents.html)


I was in the UK for just over 10 years and noticed a new wave of people coming in doing the same thing. There was an influx of Sri Lankans in the late 90's and they copied what the Indians had done before them. One shop would support 3 or 4 families with the accommodation upstairs and they would pool the finances each month. When they had sufficient funds they would buy another small business and carry on until everyone had their own little business.

Many times I would arrive in a news agents and find the guy sleeping behind the counter and I wouldn't wake him, but carry on with whatever I had to do. This is how they got ahead in life and it was them roughing it for 3 or 4 years to get to where they needed to be. How bad was the life they were escaping for them wanting to voluntarily do this.

I respected each and every one of them for what they were able to do as it is not easy. I rarely complain when I am tired these days as I have them as  a reminder of how tough things can be. Most of the Indians that were in the waves between the 70's and 80's have educated their children and sold their businesses to the next wave and this will continue in a never ending cycle. It is not surprising to see so many Indian doctors and specialists working in England today as their parents sacrificed for them.

I see a few others doing something similar on Steem who also have their day jobs and are pushing the boundaries making the most of a golden opportunity.Next time you say you are too tired or can't be bothered think of others who have no choice and just do it because they have to.