WE all have hopes and dreams for ourselves that we have yet to achieve, or maybe are in the process of getting. Sometimes, we write it in a journal or keep it in prayers. For a while, those dreams may feel beyond reach, but somewhere along the journey, a quiet shift happens. One day, you’ve stopped asking, not because you’ve given up, but because what you’ve once hoped for has already begun to unfold.
For Gen Zs, a generation often caught between ambition and uncertainty, success does not always come in grand moments. Sometimes, it’s found in small wins and silent victories where the unnoticed growth means the most.
Small Steps towards the Bigger Dream
Kimberly Torres Biag, 23, shares her journey on being a digital content creator. At the height of the pandemic, while she was bored at home, that’s where her curiosity about user-generated content (UGC) became the starting point of her dream of creating content.
“I felt somehow pressured to do something with my life at the age of 20. I didn’t know what shape it would take yet, pero somehow, I knew I had it in me,” Biag told RepublicAsia.
Even though she had no idea where it would take her, she started to turn her dream into reality. She started from accepting one to three products from a brand, and sometimes, she wasn’t even paid. But her eagerness to strive for receiving full PR packages from the brands she dreams of working with someday became her motivation. Little does she know that small step would lead to a bigger path for her.
The journey to her content creation journey was not easy. There’s pressure and fear of falling short, and the overwhelming presence of social media. But despite the hardships, she firmly held onto her beliefs that if you want to succeed, you shouldn’t feel afraid to look like a beginner. There’s a beauty in accepting the awkward and messy parts of the process.
“And every time I thought about quitting, ang funny lang kasi something would happen like a dream brand would reach out to me or I’d get a message from a follower saying na, na-inspire ko sila,” she shared.
To Biag, she believes that her achievements in her content creation journey came gradually. While others instantly rocketed with thousands of followers, her engagements and following took a while, but it was a steady and determined pace. She learned a lot in the process of growing because behind every post, she’s her own writer, stylist, cameraman, and even the driver when going to events.
Biag’s perseverance in doing something she loves turned out better than she had planned. Success doesn’t happen overnight, it takes passion and patience to truly grow. What started small gradually grew into meaningful opportunities for her. Today, she continues to thrive as a content creator, using her platform to reach and inspire young voices.
Redefining Goals and Purpose
We often picture dreams as the biggest breakthrough for us once we achieve them. For KC Tolentino, 25, her dream was once to become a well-known artist. She immersed herself in creative work, collaborating with Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and stationery shops. Creating art pieces after another that showcased her talent.
For a while, Tolentino believed the path to being a graphic designer would be her absolute end goal. But when she finally lived that reality, she realized it didn’t give her fulfillment. The career that once seemed like a dream left her feeling boxed up and her creativity.
She realized that her art was a passion project to express herself, without being confined to the demands of work, that her art didn’t need to be a source of income to remain meaningful in her life.. That’s when she decided to make a brave move, shifting careers and joining her family’s business in direct sales, leading a team for distributorship.
“Progress for me looked like the acceptance of letting go of the usual route of expressing creativity. Before, I had this stereotypical mindset that if I were an artist, and I knew I was good at it, maybe my dream should become I should be a graphic designer. That’s the usual route people would take,” Tolentino told RepublicAsia.
It was not an easy journey for her to shift from the version of herself she had held onto for years. Over time, grieving that dream, she learned a lot of things, turning it into a positive light. Slowly, she found her spark. Her present career may be a field far from what she imagined for herself, speaking at events and with people, but she found fulfillment. It wasn’t exactly what she imagined, but it came to her in a better way.
“I know I’m right where I’m supposed to be. I feel so fulfilled because all of my values align with the company I’m in right now, and I still get to do what I love. Every Monday, I set aside time, I sketch, I work on my art, and I really just relax with my art,” she shared.
Tolentino never left her love for art. At present, she balances her career with her creative pursuits. She attends workshops, creates art to raise funds, and visits museums when she has time.
Her story is a reminder that growth and success are not linear. We may not come to terms with the original goal we dreamed of, but life feels more authentic and successful when you choose what makes you feel that you’re living.
The Importance of In-Between Moments
For many young dreamers today, the real story lies not in the breakthroughs but in the unseen steps that lead up to them. The gradual progress, the setbacks, and small wins truly define what success looks like.
“I would say it came in a very different, much better way because I didn’t have to follow any rule or any certain path that wasn’t for me. And right now, the path I’m in on, I’m so passionate about it,” Tolentino said.
Dreams may change, but the reflection and acceptance matter just as much.
“Success has no single formula. It’s very personal, and what matters the most is that it’s the version you enjoy the most. Ngayon, I try to slow down, of course, and honor the small wins because those in between moments, sila ‘yung foundation. ‘Yung mga uncelebrated moments mo, those quiet moments of sacrifice– if we only celebrate the peaks, we forget that the climb is what gives them meaning,” Biag emphasized.
The trial-and-error in creating videos, the unwavering message of support from followers, are the foundation of growth.
Their stories remind us that the “in-between” moments of achieving and reaching your goals are not wasted time. It’s where growth happens. Their journey serves as proof that gradual and quiet success is a testament to their individuality and how they make their life purposeful.
