Too Many Buried Talents?

One of my favorite passages of all time is the Parable of the Talents. Period. Point blank. It's incomparable in my mind because it contains so much wisdom to help us live our lives on purpose, with passion, productively and profitably! No doubt. I love it!

(Horrible image above, huh?  That guy even looks lazy!)

We were studying it in Bible Study last night and a few things jumped in my spirit that I wanted to share today. I'd blogged on this before, too, in a post called "Do You Even Matter?" but faith comes by hearing... not by once having heard!

As we were talking about it, I began to realize that I'd slipped into a pattern of burying my talents.  Check out Matthew 25:14-30 and let it speak to you.  I know for a fact that I'm the guy with five talents.  Forgive me if you perceive that as arrogance.  To me, it's truth.  I am not taking pride in that statement, however, because it's just as true that I've been too often acting like the steward with one talent.

No more.  Today is a new day!

How much talent do you have buried in the ground?  Time to dig them up and put them to work!  Are you hesitating because you don't think you have anything to work with?  False!  Everyone got something - even you.  Chances are you have more going for you than you realize.  Take an assessment today.  Look at what you have instead of focusing on what you lack and get to work!  Your true prosperity comes after giving the Master a return on the investment He's made into you!

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"Seven Things I Learned from Rap Music"

Since the days of Kurtis Blow, I have loved rap music.  I'll grant you that some of it's becoming hard to justify, but there are some lessons that I've learned from it over the years that have helped me in life. Here are some of my favorites:

"You don't grind, you don't shine." - Mike Jones

If this current economy has reminded us of anything, it's that most of us should no longer expect financial prosperity to come without sacrifice. Solomon said that there is profit in all hard work and the converse is true: if you don't grind, you don't shine. Put your top effort into creating the future you desire.

"If I can't change the people around me, I change the people around me." - Chuck D

The Bible says that we should not be deceived; that bad company corrupts good morals. Throughout the Proverbs, there are warnings to choose our friends and associations very carefully. A lot of who we become results from those with whom we spend the majority of our time. Surround yourself with people who are pursuing purpose.

"Before we go any further, let's be friends." - Whodini

Relationship advice from the great Rappin' Jalil (or was it Ecstacy? or Grandmaster Dee?). A lot of times we push relationships too far, too fast because of infatuation and hormones. I advise my sisters all the time to resist the urge to let relationships become "sexualized" too soon because once a guy has sex on his mind, he can't think. Let's not just get to know one another. Let's be friends.

"You see me? I eat, sleep, _____ and talk rap. You see that '98 Mercedes on TV? I bought that." - Juvenile

One thing that I've always admired in successful people is their focus. Solomon spoke of this, too, when he advised that we should do with all our might whatever it is that we do. This is in Ecclesiastes 9:10 in case you're wondering.

"It's what you keep, not what you cop." ~Beanie Sigel

Making money doesn't profit much if you spend it all. We Americans have developed the nasty habit of spending even MORE than we earn.  W. Clement Stone said, "If you cannot save money, the seeds of greatness are not in you."  Wise words.  Very. 


"Don't let a win go to your head or a loss to your heart." - Chuck D

Fight to stay encouraged when things are tough by taking control of your emotions. Don't take it personally. Things happen to all of us in this life. Also, use the positive emotions of victories to propel yourself forward without becoming complacent. Good seasons don't last always the same way Winter doesn't last forever.

"It takes two to make a thing go ri-ight! It takes two to make it out of sight!" ~Rob Base and DJ EZ Rock (See also Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 because Solomon said it, too: "Two are better than one...")

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You're Made of Good Stuff!

A lot of people think there is something fundamentally different between the high achievers and themselves. That's not the case at all! You can do anything anyone else can do if you know what they know and practice is consistently. That means this: anything you've been called to do, created to do or want to do YOU CAN DO! You just have to learn how and then practice what you have learned.

A lot of what you need to do, you ALREADY KNOW but you aren't doing it consistently. Now, I've been working on a new series basically covering how to get out of your own way, but you've got to catch this first. There is nothing fundamentally LESSER about you at all. Donald Trump gets funky breath in the morning, too. We all get 24 hours and (if you're reading this) a sound mind. It's what we think about and what we do that makes the difference.

The first message I want you to catch is that YOU CAN DO, BE and HAVE anything you're called, created or want to have. You just need to learn something you don't currently know and then practice it consistently. If you aren't where you want to be, hang in there. The race isn't given to the swift nor is the battle given to the strong! If you aren't making the impact you want to make and earning the money you want to earn, it's only because there's something you don't know! That's good news because it means you can LEARN whatever you need to learn to take your entire life to a new level. Stay encouraged and keep asking, seeking and knocking!

Subscribe to this blog.  Let's win together!

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What You Should REALLY Do.

Isn't that how we treat people these days?  You should do this or that and if you don't then "go kill yourself!"  I HATE that phrase, but I see it tossed around a lot.  When did we become so harsh and judgmental?

Lots of "shoulds" make for GREAT social media conversations, but horrible relationships. And nobody likes a nag. You post "people should so and so" or people should never "blah blah blah" and it works because it divides the room (so to speak) philosophically and sparks conversation. Inevitably there will be one or two people on each side of the room who feel passionately enough to fill up your page with comments and entertainment.

However, in real life, every time you use the word "should" you're judging and every judgment alienates. I'm not saying there aren't times to alienate people. I'm just saying count the cost. Measure most of your rules against whether they work for you. Every successful person and every successful relationship contains at least a few elements that other people say they should or should not have.

You should "do you" more often.

 Oh yeah. Here's a friendly "iron sharpening" tip. Most people are already dealing with a number of insecurities and ways in which they feel like a failure anyway. They rarely need to be told yet another way in which they're failing to measure up! Trying cheering someone on for a change!

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Learning to Be Honest About Who You Are...

...is a very challenging thing at times. It's a challenge I thought I'd beaten 100% until I discovered that there is more inside me than I thought (and I think pretty highly of myself at times). Now I'm finding myself looking in the mirror (again) and being challenged (again) to find a higher level in life. The truth is I've been selling myself and severely undervaluing myself.  I can see that now.

But how about you?  How honest are you about who you are and what you are?  How honest are you about where you want to be in life?  That's the first step towards walking in the peace and fulfillment you want.  Honesty.  Then you can start taking steps towards the life you want - that you were meant to live - but it can't happen until you come face-to-face with YOU and accept who you are.

Realize, too, that where you are isn't where you have to remain.  But reaching any destination first begins with figuring out where you are.

Subscribe to this blog.  Let's journey together!

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Random Thoughts from My Head

Just sitting here reflecting on some things as I work. I should be done with work for the day soon... but I doubt it. I'm pushing myself now because I'm REALLY looking forward to being able to enjoy the Summer. Diligence now. Play later.  Some random thoughts rattling around in my head...

1. Read to Lead. What we become depends upon what we read. My life is better when I'm reading something. It energizes me. Every time I start reading something, I notice enough of a change to make me wonder why I don't read more.

2. Stop Quitting.  If you want to make real, lasting progress, you have to stop quitting. This is a message I'm working on. "Killing the Spirit of Quit in Your Life"

3. Worry About YOU!  My new favorite passage might be John 21:22 but maybe not for the reasons most people would think on first reading. I think I can build an entire presentation on it. I think it holds the a real key to progressing in life and relationships.

4. One is Lonely Number.  Most people (especially Christians) will admit to being an alcoholic faster than they will admit to being lonely... yet one is completely natural and the other is a dangerous addiction. We treat people struggling with addictions with sympathy and those who struggle with loneliness like emotional weaklings. Here's a self-test ---> IF YOU DARE!

5. So Much Stupid.  There is a staggering amount of stupid stuff posted to Facebook these days. Here's an example. So... it's okay to kiss horses?

Here's another example. Apparently someone feels like it's a good idea for Americans to think even less than we do now...

Our main problem as humans is (and has always been!) that we do too much feeling and too little thinking about where those feelings will take us if not managed better.

6. New Levels Needed.  I've reached a point where people expect a certain standard from me. I have to make sure less and less of my stuff falls into the stupid category.  Not always easy.  Not at all.

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The 10,000 Hour Rule

What is the difference between good and great? Malcolm Gladwell says about 10,000 hours...10,000 hours of practice and serious application. In his outstanding book, Outliers, Gladwell suggests that many of the most accomplished men and women in several fields had to invest that much time into their craft before achieving true excellence:

Bill Gates in programming software
The Beatles in music
Athletes
Teachers
Professional speakers
Bloggers

There is scientific research indicating that to prepare someone for THE opportunity that one day will come, he or she should already have gone through a minimum 10,000 hours of practice. This is roughly equivalent to 3-hours of practice everyday for about 10 years. It makes sense in this way: only those with the determination and focus to stick with a specific mission will be successful, while those who jump around from one thing to another will likely fail. Gladwell reminds us with several examples that raw talent and pure intelligence are only a small part of manifesting success. They only matter up to a certain degree.

Bruce Lee once said, “I’m not afraid of a person who practice 1000 kicks one time, but I’m afraid of a person who practice one kick 1000 times.”

I'll be honest. I don't necessarily know how to measure all the hours I'm involved in the activities most important to my future. However, I know I'm well short of 10,000 hours of speaking, writing and teaching. By this rule, I'm not yet approaching "greatness", but I'm making up for lost time. This blog is proof! My other writings are proof. I'm committed to getting my hours in so I'm ready for those doors that are opening for me.

Need a speaker for your next event? Guess what? I'm more available than you think because I need to get more hours in! Tell me. Are you getting your hours in? Post your comments below!

Mark Anthony McCray helps people live on PURPOSE, achieve higher PERFORMANCE and experience true PROSPERITY. Be sure to subscribe to this blog so you don't miss a thing and forward this to a friend if you found it helpful. All material © Copyright, Mark Anthony McCray unless otherwise noted!

He can be reached in the following ways:

Mark@LiveBIGDieEmpty.com
Phone: 281-846-5720
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Click HERE for information on Mark as a speaker or presenter and HERE to learn about coaching programs to help you realize your potential and live more prosperously!

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