In an age where social media floods our feeds with curated highlights, it’s easy to feel like you’re running behind. Like everyone else is sprinting ahead while you’re stuck in place. But as film producer Will Packer reminds us, life isn’t just highlights. It’s also lowlights, setbacks, and seasons of grinding that don’t always make it to the ‘Gram.
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Will Packer on Success and Struggle
Packer recently shared a personal reflection on Instagram, peeling back the curtain on the journey behind his success.
“Social media will have you thinking you are failing at life because you’re not super successful right now,” he said. “Social media is a bunch of people posting highlights. That’s not life. Life is highlights and lowlights.”
It’s a timely reminder that the journey to success is rarely linear. Packer highlighted stories that speak to perseverance through the mundane and the difficult. Tyler Perry, now a household name, once slept in his car. Viola Davis, celebrated for her depth and power on screen, didn’t receive her first Oscar until age 50. And Will Packer himself? He didn’t produce his first number one movie until 11 years after graduating college.
“That’s 11 years of grinding, working odd jobs, getting told no over and over and over again,” he shared.
The Reality Behind Success Stories
It’s tempting to see these stories in hindsight as inevitable triumphs. But when you’re in the middle of your own 11 years, it feels anything but certain. It’s in those moments of waiting, trying, and facing rejection that the deepest lessons are learned: resilience, focus, determination. The kind of growth that doesn’t make for a glamorous post but shapes the foundation of success.
Will Packer Believes in You
Packer’s message wasn’t just about grit, though. It was about belief.
“I believe in you, so you believe in you. There is nobody more deserving than you to achieve success. You are right where you’re supposed to be.”
There’s power in those words. Not as a platitude but as a call to embrace the process, however long and winding it may be. Trust that each step—even the ones that feel like missteps—is carving out the strength and wisdom needed for the next level.
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Trust the Process and Keep Going
It’s okay if your story isn’t moving as fast as you hoped. It’s okay if it’s messy. What matters is that you’re showing up, learning, and continuing. That is success!
So the next time you’re tempted to compare your behind-the-scenes to someone else’s highlight reel, remember: you’re not late. You’re not off course. You’re becoming. And you’re exactly where you’re supposed to be.
Take it from Will Packer: believe in yourself, trust your journey, and keep going.
