Encountering rejection on the road to pursuing the things we love is seriously challenging—in fact, it can stop some of us dead in our tracks, causing us to question our vision and purpose.

Feyzi Fatehi, current CEO of Corent Technology, which won the 2009 Emerging Software Company of the Year Award, knows a thing or two about how to bounce back from rejection.

We sat down together in New York City where he shared some great advice on how to overcome failure and stick with your vision until you achieve your goal:

Find People Who Share Your Vision

"Truly believe in your value and bring other people who share that value onto your team."

Don’t Expect People to Understand You Right Away

"You want to be understood when there’s something you’re passionate about. But sometimes, despite using all your communication efforts and intellectual skills, the people you respect just don’t get it. You have to just turn around and take a breath and revive the vision in your mind--then move on."

When You’re Frustrated, Focus on Your Passion

"It’s not about the fact that you go down, it’s about how quickly you can come up. Re-energize yourself and revive your passion and vision."

What Turns Your Lights On?

"You have to identify what you’re really passionate about, what, as a friend of mine says, 'turns your lights on.'"

Be selective: Turn Down Jobs if You’re Not Committed

"The sooner you understand what turns your lights on, the sooner you can say no to certain work opportunities, and say yes to those that turn you into a more inspired person."

Become an Expert: Believe in Your Passion

"Invest in doing the things you’d like to do better—create mastery so doing the things that makes you happy becomes easy."

Check out the video version of my interview with Feyzi below: