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3/27/13

The 7 Functions of a Coach


I wrote yesterday on how getting a coach can improve your life and even double your income.  This article is more about clarifying what a good coach does and doesn't do.  Here are some thoughts:


  1. Impart skills and knowledge 
  2. Impart confidence and understanding in the use of those skills 
  3. Motivate people so as to bring out the best in them - usually encouraging them beyond what they thought they were capable of doing
  4. Model the importance of learning the basics of a skill 
  5. Point the protege to other appropriate resources and links them with other professionals. 
  6. Observe the protege in action 
  7. Evaluate the protege's experience and gives feedback towards further development.

Remember, if someone is challenged to deal with past issues and hurts, they probably need a counselor instead of a coach.  Part of being a successful coach is being a person of integrity and directing people to where they can get help and being honest about when that person isn't you.

To your success!









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
Twitter: @LiveBIGDieEmpty
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LiveBIGDieEmpty
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/markanthonymccray/
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/103149858138414160703/posts
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/markanthonymccray
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/markmccray/

For more information on Mark as a speaker or presenter check out http://livebigdieempty.blogspot.com/p/about-mark_29.html


3/26/13

Talk So He'll Hear You


My friend, Belinda Oliver, said "Sis, men communicate differently than we do. Do you know how to effectively communicate with that man? Can he be comfortable in YOUR presence? Can he TRUST you or do you have an AGENDA?" and it got me to thinking.

I had written "8 Keys to Talking to Men" before but felt like I could write a quick update.  Some women still feel like they aren't being heard.  I came bearing gifts... of wisdom.  Here are some quick ways to talk so your guy will hear you... really quick:

Step 1: Get to the point QUICK AND FIRST! Fill in the details after you made your point. If he doesn't know where the talk is going, he will zone out.

Step 2: Don't think everything has to be covered at one time. It doesn't. Give it to him in little chunks.

Step 3: Don't store it all up and explode on him! He won't even remember what he "did" a month ago.

Step 4: If you want him to talk, listen. Allow some silence and he will fill it. If you never stop talking, he will never start.

Does this help?  Try these out and let me know how they work for you!  I want you to be heard.  Really.



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
Twitter: @LiveBIGDieEmpty
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LiveBIGDieEmpty
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/markanthonymccray/
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/103149858138414160703/posts
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/markanthonymccray
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/markmccray/

For more information on Mark as a speaker or presenter check out http://livebigdieempty.blogspot.com/p/about-mark_29.html


[VIDEO] Go #BIG or Go the Heck Home! (The Power of Passion and Enthusiasm)



For what do you burn?  Would your friends and family say you're truly on fire about anything? I hope so because, from my point of view, if you're going to show up, show up with enthusiasm. Otherwise - and I mean this will all my heart - you might as well stay home!  Check out my latest Google Hangout with Don Purdum and you can listen to me rant about this.

I mean what I said.  If you aren't going to be fired up about your own purpose, calling and mission, why should anyone else be?  Struggling to answer?  The old saying from John Wesley is true: "Set yourself on fire with passion and people will come for miles to watch you burn." 

Be a man or woman on fire.









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
Twitter: @LiveBIGDieEmpty
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LiveBIGDieEmpty
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/markanthonymccray/
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/103149858138414160703/posts
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/markanthonymccray
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/markmccray/

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!

3 Ways Cosmopolitan Magazine Is Creating Divorce.




Maybe I'm being a hater.  I'm sure I am.  But I was send an article the other week called "What Makes Men Fall in Love" and was asked my thoughts on it.  I guess I'm predictable and people know my triggers because the first thing I did was an image search on "Cosmopolitan Magazine Covers" and this is what I got back. 


Am I that old and out of touch?  I am shocked at how often "sex" is the highlight of the issue considering their target market - mostly young, single women in their late teens and early twenties.  That's the first way Cosmo is ruining marriage: It's got people thinking good sex = healthy relationship.  Ummm...

But the second way Cosmo is ruining relationships and creating (future) divorces is by teaching gamesmanship as a part of the dating process.  They say to pick fights as a way to show him you're not a pushover.  Well, I'm not so sure about that.  I think two people in relationship will have enough organic disagreements over time and you don't need to manufacture any.   Don't pick fights to show you're strong.  Just express your own opinions.  You'll get enough disagreements in time. I'm sure of it!  They also say you should blow him off from time to time.  Since when has ignoring someone been a sign that you care?  Go ahead and try that if you want to!

Finally, here's the deal.  You can't make someone fall in love with you.  Love is a choice.  It's a decision to commit to you.  The bottom line is a man (just like a woman) wants to be in a relationship with a person of character.  Develop character from the inside.  If you need help, grab a Bible.  Go to the Proverbs.  You'll get all the advice you need right there.

Here's where I will give this article credit.  I think they are right about most of the male triggers to attachment.  I just don't think you have to try a pull a guy's strings to get him there.  You do that and eventually people figure you out and resent you for it.

Then you're looking for the article about what to do when he leaves you.

Your thoughts?








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
Twitter: @LiveBIGDieEmpty
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LiveBIGDieEmpty
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/markanthonymccray/
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/103149858138414160703/posts
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/markanthonymccray
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/markmccray/

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!




Can a Life Coach Double Your Income?



A good friend of mine, Betty-Anne Marie White, tagged me in/on/with (?) this article on my Facebook page. Deborah Gaines says hiring a coach doubled her income and I believe her.  I believe her because it was having a coach that totally changed my life in the early part of my career.  I give tons and tons of credit to a man named Duncan Butler who taught me more than I ever thought I'd know about business and entrepreneurship.

Duncan taught me something that I know I'll never forget: All of the most successful people (in every field) have coaches.  In fact, most hyper-successful people have more than one coach.  Think about someone like Tiger Woods.  He has a swing coach, someone to help him with his short game, someone to help him with health and fitness and probably someone to help him with his overall competitive mentality.  

All the most successful people have coaches.  I don't think you can find an exception to this rule - they just might not admit it because they want you to think they've stood alone the whole way.  Bull spit!  Don't believe that self-made garbage.  Anyone who does anything great, gets help.  I know I have.  You should get help, too.  Reaching beyond yourself for insight, tools, resources and even encouragement could be the best thing you ever do.

At least think about it.  If you've got an area in which you know you need to grow, get a coach.  Where do you need help?  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
Twitter: @LiveBIGDieEmpty
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LiveBIGDieEmpty
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/markanthonymccray/
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/103149858138414160703/posts
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/markanthonymccray
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/markmccray/

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!

3/13/13

Pride & Singleness


A lot of you are not single because you can't find anyone, but because you're too proud. You meet people, you date and you stay together for a while until... until... until they give you some feedback you don't like. That's when you decide they aren't for you. You two just aren't a match.

Being in a long-term relationship with anyone requires you to change - a lot - but the conventional wisdom these days is everybody should just take you the way you are. Right? God forbid you should have to mature, be selfless, consider other people, apologize when you're wrong or adjust your priorities!

Relationships require you to walk in a lot of humility and accommodation. Perhaps it is your unwillingness to bend that keeps you alone? Despite what all the Facebook graphics are telling you, rigidity is not a good thing.

Basically, if you don't have what you want in your life right now and find that you're never able to build anything that lasts, you probably need to change.  Yes.  YOU need to change.

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
Twitter: @LiveBIGDieEmpty
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LiveBIGDieEmpty
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/markanthonymccray/
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/103149858138414160703/posts
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/markanthonymccray
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/markmccray/

For more information on Mark as a speaker or presenter check out http://livebigdieempty.blogspot.com/p/about-mark_29.html


3/4/13

Insecurities



Here's the video from one of our longest Hangouts so far!  Don and I really got open about insecurities, criticisms and other things that hinder you from having healthy, whole and happy relationships.  Here's the VIDEO Check it out. Let me know what you think!

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
Twitter: @LiveBIGDieEmpty
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LiveBIGDieEmpty
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/markanthonymccray/
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/103149858138414160703/posts
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/markanthonymccray
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/markmccray/

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!

Admit it. You still believe in fairy tales.



Do you know why fairy tales are called fairy tales?  They are called fairy tales because they almost all involve fairies (duh!) or some other kind of magical being.  In each one of them, this magical creature sees the woeful plight of the hero or heroine and swoops in to wave a wand, cast a spell or brew a potion that saves the day.  In a flash of light, all is well and everyone lives happily ever after.

Most people live like they have a fairy god mother hovering over them waiting to grant their heart's deepest desire with three wishes - especially when it comes to dating and marriage.  I'm making up a new term right here, right now. From here forward I'm calling most modern Christian dating the "Someday My Prince Will Come" Method of dating. It's the "I will sit here in my tower and wait until something happens" kind of attitude.  It doesn't work that way in the real world.  The Lord has set up a system that relies upon sowing and reaping.  It applies to everything.

The vast majority of women who confide in me that they're tired of being single also admit that they never go out on dates (even when asked), never approach or accept approaches from men and rarely go anywhere except work and church.  A friend posted on my Facebook page, "I have been to many women and singles retreats and the topic of staying pure aka saving sex for marriage and waiting is always talked about and encouraged. However, the discussion of dating has not been discussed or encouraged. That's why I believe most women are stuck at home, work and church because they are waiting for their future husband to sweep them off their feet."

I agree with her. One comment I hear often is "A man will have to go through God to get to me." and it drives me CRAZY!!! How exactly is a man supposed to do that? Do you give him a basic theology quiz when he asks you out? Do you pray a couple of days before responding to his asking you to meet him for coffee? It makes no sense to me! He didn't ask you to marry him. He asked you to go to TGI Fridays! 

Overall, I am at an age now where a lot of my female friends thought "Someday my prince will come" while many others took chances to get to know people. Now the ones who put off so many opportunities are regretting it. Some admit. Some don't admit. But most acknowledge that there's a good reason those stories of magical rescue are called fairy tales. It's because they happen about as often as you've seen a fairy... which is to say probably never.

Disney has screwed you up.  They make good movies, but Disney is not a great relationship counselor.

Go out on a doggone date!

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
Twitter: @LiveBIGDieEmpty
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LiveBIGDieEmpty
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/markanthonymccray/
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/103149858138414160703/posts
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/markanthonymccray
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/markmccray/

For more information on Mark as a speaker or presenter check out http://livebigdieempty.blogspot.com/p/about-mark_29.html


3/3/13

Good People In Your Corner


Everybody fights better with good people in their corner.  People who are willing to wipe the sweat out of your eyes, bandage up your cuts, encourage you and send you back into the fight.  You need those people if you ever attempt to do anything at all with your life.  I'm not even talking yet about living a life of significance.  I'm talking about just doing anything at all.  Life is tough.  Don't try to go it alone.

I know people a little bit.  Most of you reading this are carrying burdens that are really troubling you.  Yet not enough of the right people know what your challenges are.  Therefore, they can't help you.  Your silence is keeping you in a worse situation than you need to be in.

I've learned this the good way and the bad way.  I have some great people in my corner now, but that hasn't always been the case because I WOULD NOT LET PEOPLE SEE THE REAL ME.  They were always good people, but shutting them out didn't allow them to know how to pray, how to help, how to encourage.

You were not designed to live in isolation.  "A brother is born for adversity" a wise man once said.  That means that you have people around you just because the Lord knew you were going to need someone one day.  We are there for each other to lean on.  Don't be so proud as to not ask for help or accept it when it's offered.  You might be cutting off someone else's blessing and destroying opportunities to develop real intimacy.

That's my only point to this blog today.  Let people know what's going on with you.  Let them help you.

Mark










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
Twitter: @LiveBIGDieEmpty
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LiveBIGDieEmpty
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/markanthonymccray/
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/103149858138414160703/posts
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/markanthonymccray
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/markmccray/

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!

2/20/13

7 Ways to Make Social Media Work Harder for You


Kind of jumping straight to the point here... I want to share a few tips and tricks with you that are easy to use but also easy to forget to use.  Check these out!

Remember, if you like these and want more, check out The Expert Excellence Webinar (c) - Position Yourself, Promote and Profit as an Expert on  Tuesday, February 26, 2013 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM (CST)!   In fact, YOU NEED to be a part of this training.  Your career needs it!

1. Increase your "Likes" on your page!  You can email all of your non-Facebook contacts and invite them to "Like" your Facebook fan or business page! Here's how:


  • Click on "Build Audience" to the upper right once you are on your business page. 
  • You will see a menu of options. Click on "Invite E-mail Contacts" 
  • You will see options to contact your Yahoo!, Comcast, AOL and other address books there. Click on one (Yahoo!, for example) and follow the instructions to import your contacts.
  • You can also contact up to 5000 people from your Outlook Address Book if you choose "Other Tools" and upload your Outlook address book. LinkedIn is one of your options, as well!  You will have to "Export" your contacts from those sources first, but it's not too hard.  Good luck!
This should help your social media marketing be more successful if you can reconnect with people who you've known and done business with outside of Facebook! It is said that every like is worth money, so there may be money you're leaving behind right now.

2.  Get a better name!  Use this link to shorten your web domains on Facebook: http://facebook.com/username It makes you much easier to find and gives you a sharper online image.

3. Upgrade your graphics!  Do you see most of the graphics on my blog? They cost my $5 each through Fiverr.com and were all done in 2-3 days. I'm happy to have upgraded my visual presentations! Now I'll get someone who knows Wordpress to work on the entire blog. But that's for another day! If you want to go a level higher, I recommend LogoLoft.com.  I've used them a few times with great results!

4. Harvest your content!  Did you know you can download a copy of everything you've ever posted on Facebook? I just did and I have a file of all my Status Updates, etc since 2008! This is a great thing because I am going to be able to go back and capture some of the best stuff for use in my blogs and other writings!

5.  Measure your influence!  I might be the last person to have discovered this, but if you add Klout for Google Chrome to your browser (assuming you use Chrome, as I do) it shows you everyone's Klout score as you Tweet. Your's too! They say "What gets measured gets done" and this is a simple way to measure your impact.

6.  Join a community!  FINALLY....Join my Expert Excellence Facebook Page!  If you are a writer, speaker, coach, trainer, author or ANYTHING that fits into the "Expert" market space, you need to be a part of this group! Nothing against motivational quotes and scriptures, but that's not what this group is for. This group is all about "shop talk" and exchanging tips, resources, etc. that will HELP YOU BUILD YOUR BUSINESS.

Please recommend it to someone else for whom you think it will be a great resource! Also read down the page a little...there is some great content and advice on the page and more is coming! The philosophy of the page is simple...if you know where the water is, point it out to other thirsty folks!!!

7.  Invest in learning a strategy!  In case you missed it, I created this training webinar for you complete with the video, full MP3 audio and e-book for you to purchase and download today!  I've got a lot more to share with you!

In today’s business world, there is a shift in the way we are all communicating. You must keep up in order to stay relevant and to connect with clients in today’s marketplace. I have specifically designed this presentation exclusively for professionals just like you including tangible ready-to-use approaches!

You will learn
  1. Where to find your current and prospective clients on the internet.
  2. How to brand yourself, your products and your services.
  3. How to build and maintain a relationship online.
  4. How to optimize your visibility on the internet.
  5. How to convey your expertise in order to build client confidence in you.
  6. How to manage your social media effort in a consistent way.
  7. And much, much more!!  There is too much information in this training to summarize here!


Order now by instant download via PayLoadz!

---> DOWNLOAD LINK <---
Available for a limited time for only $277 $37.77!

You will learn strategies to project your status and positioning as an expert so you can PROFIT from helping more PEOPLE! Get this valuable resource with the video, audio MP3 and e-book now! You can't afford to miss these insights, strategies and tactics!

To your success!









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
Twitter: @LiveBIGDieEmpty
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LiveBIGDieEmpty
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/markanthonymccray/
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/103149858138414160703/posts
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/markanthonymccray
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/markmccray/

For more information on Mark as a speaker or presenter check out http://livebigdieempty.blogspot.com/p/about-mark_29.html