What to do when you can’t achieve your dream

The Dream 

As a little girl, I’ve always dreamed of becoming a film director. I discovered my passion for writing stories and scripts in the 3rd grade. I was so sure that I would become a director someday. 

I directed for school projects, took a course related to film, and did a lot of projects during my college days. I even did my internship at one of the top television studios in the country. 

Lesson 1: Don’t let the challenges stop you

However, when I graduated, my first job was unrelated to film or TV. I was a content writer for cryptocurrencies. I did not lose hope. This is just a stepping stone; I was confident that I could still get back on my feet and continue my path. 

I tried to apply for a master’s at one of the top universities in the Philippines. My grades matched their requirements. However, they hesitated to accept me because I was a technical writer, and they believed I wouldn’t push through with this after I finished my master’s.

I’ll be honest, I was devastated. I couldn’t believe it. I couldn’t accept it. But I did not let it stop me. I tried to apply again to the same company where I did my internship to hopefully get a spot. However, I failed again. 

Lesson 2: Try to refocus the dream

I could still pursue film and look for other stations, but I realized I had to be practical. I need a job that can provide me with my needs, and it will take a LONG time before I achieve that with my path.

There is still an alternative. I can write one instead if I can’t direct a show or movie. After all, I started my dream of writing novels. So, I decided to be a novelist instead. I tried publishing some works on different sites. 

The first one, I was discouraged because I got a lot of negative comments. But I decided to look for another site, where I discovered Wattpad. I started publishing my first story there, and I got a lot of positive reviews.

Lesson 3: Keep going

I stopped because I was busy with work and other stuff. My passion for writing continued in 2019 when someone contacted me on Wattpad and offered me to write for their platform. It was my first paid novel on Sofanovel. 

It was amazing. I am a legit novel writer. I did three more novels with them before another company contacted me. However, the experience differed from the 2nd company, forcing me to write what they wanted instead of what I liked. 

I went back to Wattpad after that and published my last story (as of now).

Lesson 4: Don’t pressure yourself

Sadly, writing isn’t as easy as it seems. After my last novel in 2020/2021, I had to stop and focus on my career. In 2022/2023, I decided to write another novel and submit it to Wattpad to apply for the position of book author. 

Again, I didn’t get an approval. It was frustrating, but I decided to take a break. I don’t want to rush myself into writing stuff to get approval from anyone. I like to write something that I am sure other people would love.

Lesson 5: Try again

I didn’t write since then, but I plan to write again within the year or maybe the next. I researched another set of publishing companies that could help me publish a book. I am willing to try again, even if it fails. 

The first dream might’ve been a failure, but I have another one that will keep me going for the rest of my life. I hope you find a reason to pursue your dream or to look for an alternative. Dreams give you a reason to go on, and I do hope you don’t let go of yours just because they were challenges along the way.