The Prime Years: Filipino Men In their Prime
HEALTH & WELLNESS
The Roaring 20s: Identity, Pressure, and Uncertainty
Ambition, Work, and Growth in a Filipino Man’s Early Years
But growth does not stop at just the financial aspect. Growth also means attaining fruitful relationships that make a man happy. That also means letting go of relationships that simply do not work - the acknowledgement that life goes on and newer, better relationships will come. Eventually, the relationships that Filipino men will define their prime years later on.
Filipino Men in their 30s: Routine, Fulfillment, and Stability
Most importantly, being in your prime does not require a single life path. Some men find it through marriage and parenthood; others through independence and financial comfort. To be in your prime is not to arrive at perfection; the problems will keep on coming and life is more complex. So the prime years will always differ in meaning and circumstances. For some Filipino men, it is a "I am getting by and I feel stable" kind of feeling. Others may think their 30s are not their prime years yet; a man in their 40s will believe he has enough to sustain the lifestyle he achieved. Therefore, he is in his prime years.
Ultimately, prime is subjective. But what matters the most for Filipino men is that prime years are when they are their most stable and most balanced.
Key Takeaways: Filipino Men in Their Prime
By the time Filipino men reach their 30s, most will have achieved a feeling of stability and satisfaction. He is in a better position and has diverse means of income. He can afford to invest in the simple pleasures. Some settle down and have a family of their own. Physically, some men are at their peak and exercise to maintain their physique. Often, it is the fulfillment in routine that Filipino men in their prime enjoy the most. Shared meals, weekends at home, routine workouts, personal rituals, strong relationships, and a better job. At this stage, the Filipino man in their 30s is more mature. The ambition shown in their 20s translates to well-defined successes. Mentally, the man is wiser and is much better at overcoming adversities and challenges.
For Filipino men, being in the prime of your life is a fulfilling experience after working hard to attain the lifestyle desired. Many will agree that our young years, particularly life in your 20s in the Philippines, are a time to learn and establish your own identity. By the time they get older, life becomes easier to manage - higher positions and better pay, strong relationships and fit body, wiser and more mature. For many, the prime years is an inflection point in which things improve and the man is satisfied with what he has attained.
Many Filipino men often feel their 20s as a time of experiment - he just graduated college. He is young and doesn't know a lot. He does not have much working experience. Work-life balance is a challenge to manage. A fresh graduate is entering the workforce for the first time. He spends his time working out plus the libido is strong. Relationships are being defined.
So this isn’t necessarily the prime of a Filipino man’s life - being 20+ years old is a starting point to determine what the future looks like. So as one comes out of the comfort zones, growing discomforts and curiosities are common for young men to feel, and fear of missing out is no stranger too. On the one hand, some may feel financial pressures to immediately provide while others do side hustles to add an additional source of income. Career shifts and identity development are common challenges that some Filipino men may face as well. The "roar" that is in the roaring 20s is a noise of uncertainties - the pressure to adapt to adulting and make the best decisions.
So the advice is to keep pushing. Because the most important thing is knowing all experiences in the roaring 20s are foundational - one does not have to figure everything out in life completely. Know your priorities and make the best investments to shape the modern lifestyle that you know.
Ambition is what young Filipino men often feel. The work we presently do determines our lives and position in the future. The success that comes from it depends on whether we feel this is our peak era. On the other hand, to work means to establish a defined career path. Job hunting and having a job is often perceived as the first step to attain a good stream of income and therefore, build towards our prime years. But for some, making good investments other than your primary income is another common insight that young Filipino men receive. By investing the earned money into emergencies, stock market options, and properties, the man is shaping his growth mindset. To grow means to diversify so that it increases the chances of "making it in life."
Many Filipino men perceive their prime as a period of alignment, and not of excess. When ambition and growth steps onto the right stages, the prime years become a fulfilling feeling of enjoyment. When one's life feels improvement in many areas of their lives, from career to family to rituals, then that is when the inflection point has turned a positive tide. It is not about what has gained materially, but rather, the joy is in the simplest things. Having a beautiful family, able to work out daily, or able to afford good dinners outside. What was once often dreamed about in your youth comes to be realized later on. Even if life continues to move on, the Filipino man in his prime years will reflect and say:
It was all worth it.
