The Worst Punishment

I learned something important this week. Something that I had thought of in the back of my mind and was able to confirm through observation. And, I figured out what the worst of all punishments anyone can ever have. Nothing to do.

You may be thinking I need something to do myself, because of all the people who would love a little time with nothing to do. The truth is we were not built to be idle. When we have absolutely nothing to do, we tend to atrophy. I figured this out by observing our homeless population who have so much time and so little to do. If you go to a park and just sit and watch, you can start to understand.

The problem is that rather than thinking of what to do next, or positive endeavors, people with nothing to do often find themselves focused on the past.  When dealing with the past, remember the people and the lessons learned, and do not dwell on it.  You cannot change the past or make it better.  The times gone by are gone and behind you.

We need to consider ways to help those stuck in the past to shift to future thinking and ways to make the future a more positive experience. I am not sure exactly what the answer to this is, and I’m going to have to work on ideas which could help this population.

If you have any ideas, please share them. I believe this can be made better. I also think that there is no quick fix to this. We will have to face the problem one step at a time.

Author: Mike Balof

A retired Air Force Master Sergeant, Mike used to lay in bed at night and worry about what would happen if his plant closed or found himself without a job. One day his plant closed. Rather than panic and hysteria (OK, maybe a little) Mike found himself carried away on the adventure of his life. Mike started with the best job he ever had working at Home Depot. He spent 8 years working with job seekers at a local workforce center, helping them to find employment. He then started his own company developing courses, writing books and urging others to follow their own paths into the future. Mike holds a Master of Arts in Adult Education and Training and a Bachelor of Business Management, earned through the University of Phoenix and an AAS degree in Electronics Systems Technology from the Community College of the Air Force. Mike is a member of the Delta Mu Delta Business Honor Society. View all posts by Mike Balof