Instead of answering a question this time around, I want to provide some questions for you to answer for yourself.  Be prepared to take some time to go through the entire list.  By the end you will be able to see a personal pattern that will show you the way to stay sane' in this crazy business.

1. How much fun are you having?
2.  Are you doing what you want to do?
3. Looking back five years, are you at the level you expected/dreamed about?
4. How musically comfortable are you in your current group?
5. How do you feel about the music you are making?
6. What side projects do you have?  Why are you doing them? 
7. How comfortable/confident are you with your current group's direction? 
8. Do you like going to play?
9. Do you like going to rehearsal?
10. How are you getting along with your spouse/girl/boy friend? 
11. How are you getting along with your kids? 
12. Are you satisfied with your friends and the quality of the friendship? 
13. How much do you drink and how often? 
14. How much do you use other chemicals and how often? 
15. Has anyone ever told you that you use alcohol or other drugs too much? 
16. Have your ever gotten into trouble because of being under the influence? 
17. Is there alcoholism or alcohol/drug abuse in your family? 
18. Would you describe yourself as being depressed? 
19. If you have a day job, how do you like it/get along there? 
20. How well do people REALLY KNOW YOU? 
21. Do you have someone you can talk to about anything? 
22. How many different musical groups have you played in? 
23. What were the reasons for the changes? Did they make sense? 
24. When there is a problem in your group, how is it solved? 
25. Do you feel comfortable speaking your mind in your group? 
26. When there is a problem at home, how is it solved? 
27. What would you like to be different in your current group? 
28. What would you like to be different in your personal life? 
29. What do you think about these potential changes and do you have ideas as to how to bring them about? 
30. Do you generally feel blue, down, moody? 
31.   Are you generally low in energy? 
32. Do others tell you that you are irritable or hard to get along with? 
33. Do you feel guilty that you make your living making music? 
34. How do you deal with the frequent financial/job insecurity of being a musician? 
35. How do you deal with the lack of recognition from the music industry? 
36. Are there any conflicts between you being a musician and the expectations place on you by your spouse, partner, parents? 
37. Do you feel too old for this business? 
38. Are most of your friends in the music business? 
39. Do you feel isolated from straight' people who have straight' jobs? 
40. How do you handle the pressure of working nights/weekends/holidays? 
41. Do you experience performance anxiety to a degree that your playing is hindered? 
42. What are the ways you have fun outside of music? 
43. Are you satisfied, really satisfied? 
44. If not, what needs to change so you can feel more positive?  

Now go back over this list and check those items that are problems for you.  Take a look -- how many did you check?  What ideas do you have to "correct" these difficulties?   Make sure you take time to do something different'.  That is the way you will stay sane in this business.