Whether you’re reinventing a new career or refueling your current one, how you handle rejection is a strong determiner of your success.

When Paul Hewson aka Bono of the hugely successful band U2 submitted his songs to RSO Records in 1979, the label gave the music “careful consideration” and decided that the band was not a suitable fit for them. But U2 persisted in spite of rejection to become one of the world’s best-selling music artists, with sales of 170 million records worldwide. The band has won 22 Grammy Awards (the most of any group) and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in their first year of eligibility. Rolling Stone ranked U2 #22 on its list of the “100 Greatest Artists of All Time.”

It IS possible to find meaningful work, even later in life. It’s just a matter of how bad you want it, how much work you’re willing to put in, and how persistent you’re going to be to reach your goal. Take stock of how you handle each rejection letter and consider them opportunities to strengthen your transferable value.