My Disney client once told me about an artist that they used for calligraphy. He said that the artist only did calligraphy, and it was kind of sad because they were no longer using much calligraphy, and they probably wouldn’t be hiring him anymore. My client was trying to tell me that you have to keep your skills marketable, and if your skills become obsolete, you have to try something else.

Another client once told me about a freelance artist that they used, but hadn’t given any work to lately. This artist told him “Come on, you have to give me work, I have a family to support!”. He was focused on his need, not on his value to the company.

Unfortunately, it is a cold, cruel world out there. If you want to keep working, you need to continually make sure your skills are marketable and valuable.