"Giving up hope is sometimes prudent in situations where turning your attention elsewhere is necessary for ones own sanity. Continuing to pursue a particular direction where you invariably encounter roadblocks can obscure other avenues that may lead to achieving an objective.
In our culture there is a particular glamour attributed to those who persist, and win, in spite of limited hope for success. At the same time, having the strength to recognise when hope should be relinquished, and the courage to acknowledge your helplessness, can point you in an unsullied direction that is accompanied by new hope."
There are some great jobs out there in the big wide world for professional pilots like you guys.