question 174: How do you answer the question: "What are you working on?" when you're not working on anything?

My sister works in ad sales. There are some days that she sells an ad space. Let's equate those days to the days that you are working on a job. The rest of the days, if her boss were to ask her, "What are you working on?" her answer would be all of the appointments she's making, the new business she's working on breaking, the relationships with clients she's developing. I could go on and on about everything my sister is doing when she's not on "the" call getting the news that a client is buying ad space.

So, what do you mean "you're not working on anything"? If you aren't doing business when you're not on a "job" than you're not working right. If you are working right, then you can answer the question based on what you're working on. People know this is a freelance industry. They don't expect you to be on a project at all times. But if you're not confident about what to do when you're not on a job, then you should get coaching, because you can be "working" all of the time.

For more tips and articles by top entertainment industry coach, The Greenlight Coach, visit www.TheGreenlightCoachBlog.com

Question 5:How do I deal with discouragement and the feeling that I have to give up on my dream in tough economic times? (PART 1)

I have two answers to this one.  I'll give you one answer today, and one answer tomorrow to start your Monday off right.

To answer this question, first I must dispel a tragic myth in our industry.  That myth is: Unless you're making money at your "craft/career/art" you're a failure.  

In other words, it's better to be a starving artist, living in your car, than to make money to support yourself as you pursue your dream.  I had countless clients come to me at the point of bankruptcy because they refused to make money doing anything but their "entertainment industry" job.  None of whom ended up telling their story on David Letterman.  Being poor does not make you a better artist.  It makes you a stressed out artist.  

In order to maintain stability in a freelance industry, you must have multiple streams of income to sustain you and/or employ you when you're not working at your passion job.   I know this is a controversial point of view.  I imagine I'll be getting comments about why you can't have any other means of making money.  Bring 'em on!  I'll bet I have an answer to any argument you give me.

The only reason you would feel discouraged and the need to give up your dream during tough economic times is because you didn't financially plan for the tough times and now you're having money problems.  If you want peace of mind and financial stability, you must plan for it the way any other person, freelance or not, plans for it.   

It's never too late.  Start with a curious attitude about multiple streams of income.

Part 2 tomorrow... 

For more tips and articles by the Greenlight Coach, visit www.TheGreenlightCoachBlog.com