Courage means facing discouragement, and the utmost in morality is to triumph over demoralization. It is easy enough to dream – any old beggar on the street can dream of better days, or sing some song about ‘the big rock candy mountain.’ But what differentiates men from boys, women from girls? What makes the difference in life? It’s not that you suffer fewer obstacles, but always and only that you persist, that you remain stupidly determined to persist at all costs, and that includes facing a horrible job market.

Any idiot can look at his wife and say “I’m not loved as I want to be loved,” any fool can say, “my husband isn’t who I thought he would be,” but being a mature lover is a lot like being a mature worker: you may or may not have made the right career moves, but now that you are here, success depends on making the most of it.

Sure we can all take a moment to feel sad for ourselves. “Why oh why did I choose English as my Major? What does analyzing Milton have to do with the job market?” or “Why did I insist on getting a JD when the market has never been worse for lawyers?” but ultimately, and this is important, something in you did insist it was right, and success is not in regret but in realizing what is possible for you here and now.

What matters most is persisting in your hunt for the right job. This is the virtue of optimism, for optimizing your potential. Persistence is success.

So as you plan out your possibilities for securing your first job, or your step-up job, or any part of your career journey, remember that great men and women are not distinguished by never getting disappointed, but in always persisting despite disappointment.