Why freelance doesn't always equate to professional

I've read a few guides on how to start off as a freelance copywriter, these were books I downloaded from Amazon written by authors who managed to launch themselves into a great career within a few months. I learnt a few things about how to pitch articles to people and about the general lifestyle and motivation needed by people to be self employed.

Motivation is a key factor for many people, and for many copywriters that driving force isn't always because we love what we do, but because we need the money. Motivation is something that gets us up in the morning, it makes us go about our day with some purpose (well, that's how books sell it.)

I watched the latest episode of the apprentice last night, and my god, I was surprised how bad this year's batch are. It's like they've let a good looking bunch of fourteen year olds loose in business themed theme park. These kids are out for the free pass and all they want to do it just run about pretending to be adults. They can go on a ride occasionally, pretend to walk and talk like a business professional. 

You know when you can hear something talking, but at the end of it you don't have a clue what they really said? One woman kept doing that for the whole day, trying to justify why getting some corporate people to decorate cupcakes was meant be 'team building'. 'But it was creative!' she cried at one point. Yes it was creative, but decorating cupcakes is for children, not to help banking professionals learn to communicate properly.

I wasn't surprised when the companies asked for a refund from the Apprentice teams, I'd have asked for a memory wipe of the whole day and the 60 minutes I lost watching the program. 

Working from home makes me feel like I'm not professional at times, but when I look at the people lined up on 'The Apprentice' it makes me feel I can be much better. But could I? I wonder if its an attitude cultivated in an office, which is something I am sorely lacking. All of my 'professional' experience is standing behind a bar learning how to banter and get a thicker skin.  Freelance work means I can't banter, and I am sort of laid bare, how am I meant to relate or cope with the demands of my clients?

The short answer is I have to just deal with it professionally. Not run around in sumo suits trying to say how to avoid conflict-oh let's just decorate a cupcake, it's more fun and creative and it might motivate me to do something constructive.