I'm out to dinner with two of my boys. My youngest son is a writer, and a musician. He recently moved to pursue his dreams. I'm his biggest fan but I'm happy he's home for the weekend.

He hasn't picked an easy road.

It's tough to become a writer, let alone a musician.

He's doing the artistic grind.

He's working in a restaurant and going to the studio every chance he gets. In between, he's writing, practicing, and performing at local venues. He's a struggling artist in every sense of the word.

My oldest son and I get it.

We're both writers.

I'm a freelance journalist and former business columnist, turned relationship columnist. My son is in advertising and he's a sports writer for multiple outlets.

"I'm proud of you," I say. "It's hard to do what you're doing."

"You just have to do it," says my youngest son.

"How's the response when you're performing?" I ask.

"It's been good," he says. "But it doesn't matter. You have to be prepared to fail and just keep going."

I'm impressed with my son's wisdom and tenacity.

I understand rejection.

I changed my major to business at the last minute. My single mother thought being a writer was like being a starving actor. She wasn't wrong. I don't regret my degree.

But I had a dream.

A dream I couldn't abandon.

A childhood passion I couldn't desert.

It dogged me. There were times I wanted to give up. I would receive a rejection letter and stop submitting for a while. Eventually, pen or paper or computer would find me again.

I remember telling my sister about my frustration.

I wanted to give up but I couldn't give up.

I wanted to be published.

"I feel bad for you," said my extremely empathetic sister. "My passion is nursing and I can do what I love to do. But you are a creative and that isn't an easy road. It isn't easy to get a chance to do what you want to do."

"I know," I said. "But I have a favorite quote."

"What is it?" she said.

"Success if going from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm."

—Winston Churchill

"That's depressing," said my sister.

"Really?" I said. "I think it's inspiring and motivating. It's about not giving up."

I did get published.

It took years but I achieved my dream.

My first article was published in Washingtonian Magazine. At that time, there were only print publications and roughly 98% of writers were rejected. I made it into that 2% in one of the top media markets in the country.

Over the years, I thanked that editor.

The opportunity he provided, opened many doors for me.

Writing is subjective.

Some will love what you write. Others will hate it. It's not unlike art, acting, or music. It's a personal preference. You have to find your people. You have to keep trying. You can't give up.

I once read an article about actress Sharon Stone.

It was published a long time ago.

I can't recall the media outlet. I only remember what she said. The interviewer asked how she kept going in such a competitive field. How did she have the resolve to never give up.

I paraphrase her response, "I was smart enough to know that rejection is only one person's opinion."

I've never forgotten her words.

It was Winston Churchill, Sharon Stone, and a few others, who never allowed me to give up on an impossibly difficult dream. They inspired me to pursue an extremely competitive field, despite the odds.

It's an industry where others would dictate the degree of my talent.

I will support my son's dream.

I believe in him.

I understand the importance of motivating amidst rejection.

It's the words of others that gave me the belief in my own words.