Castle, Season 4

Alexis:
How do you do it, dad?

Castle:
Do what?

Alexis:
Well, that letter that you have framed in your office.

Castle:
[fondly] My first manuscript rejection.

Alexis:
Yeah. How can you stand having it there?

Castle:
Because it drives me. And I got twenty more of those before Black Pawn ever agreed to publish In a Hail of Bullets. That letter... that letter reminds me of what I've overcome. Rejection isn't failure.

Alexis:
It sure feels like failure.

Castle:
No, failure is giving up. Everybody gets rejected. It's how you handle it that determines where you'll end up.

Alexis:
My whole life has been about making sure I could get into any college I wanted. What's it about now?

Castle:
Give it time. You'll figure it out.