Peggy Rowe was rejected for 60 years ... before she was a New York Times bestselling author.

Despite constant rejection, she continued her passion of writing every day.

Peggy Rowe wrote every day of her adult life. For sixty years. 60 years!

“From the time I got out of college and started teaching, I started writing,” said Rowe. “But I wasn’t able to interest publishers in what I was writing until I was in my 60s.”

In fact, she didn’t have a New York Times bestseller until she was in her 80s. This month, she released her fourth book and last week she appeared on her son’s podcast to talk about it.

Peggy wrote humorous stories for years “and just saved them.” Then she began writing for newspapers and magazines. They started getting published in 1965. But she never could attract attention of book publishers. No one was interested.

She accumulated a stack of rejection letters from publishers for many decades.

“Most people don’t realize the level of rejection you have to endure to be a writer — or a voice over actor, or a host,” said her son, the famous Mike Rowe — yea that Mike Rowe, of “Dirty Jobs” fame. He endured plenty of rejection in his early career.

“But you take the cake, mom,” he said. “It’s so interesting — but of all of my friends in this industry, I never really thought about the rejection you endured, on a daily basis, for sixty years.”

Perhaps Mike Rowe was persistent because of his mom’s example.

“Every writer I know — there’s a a little joke writers are always saying, ‘Oh I could paper my wall with my rejection notices.’ And I truly could,” said Peggy Rowe.

“I think it made me stronger,” she said. “It was depressing, but it also helped me to appreciate the success that I did have. I wrote things for my parents that they loved, before I was a successful writer, before I started being published. I wrote letters to people. They cherished my letters. I wrote eulogies for funerals. I wrote poetry for friends’ birthday celebrations. I mean, I was writing all the time. And really, my writing made a lot of people happy.”

“After I was published,” she said, “I looked back at my little minor successes with friends and family and I realized, that was really what I wanted. I wanted to be out there. I wanted to be noticed. I wanted people to enjoy my writing. And that’s why I submitted my manuscripts to publishers. My real success was in making the people I love happy.”

“That’s success — when your efforts can result in making someone else so happy,” said Peggy.

What is that one thing you love to do? Something that you’ll do even if you don’t get paid to do it? Something maybe you do to make others happy?

I suggest you keep doing it. If you can find a way to get paid for it, that would be a golden moment. But don’t give up on what you love — especially if it is a creative pursuit. We were born to create. Don’t give up on making yourself happy and making those around you happy.

Getting your work noticed — in the hands of more influential people — might help make you get paid for it. Learning from those who charted a course before you might also help you on your own path.

This is part of why I set up the Fearless Journeys community — to help people form connections and learn from influential guides and mentors who have done some of the things you might be considering doing.

Whether or not you join our community, be sure to keep going after what gives you purpose each day.

As Peggy Rowe said, “I had realized my dream long before my name was on two New York Times bestsellers. I didn’t realize I had realized it until I was noticed on a larger scale, on a broader platform.”

Peggy Rowe woke up each day wanting to write. And she did it for 60 years. Today, a larger part of the world is noticing that her work is really good. And she’s bringing joy not just to her inner circle of family and friends, but to millions of people around the world. Who knows what is possible for you.