The 10% Factor

I heard a great message this past weekend and I want to pass a part of it along to my friends here in Live BIG! Die Empty. blog land. The speaker was telling me that studies have been done showing that, in baseball, a .273 hitter can double his salary if he can increase his batting percentage to .300. A 10% increase in effectiveness at his job can double his income! Further, another 10% increase could put that same player into stratospheric levels...

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The (False) Gospel of Singleness

I am kind of betwixt on all the talk about celibacy and abstinence among Christians. One the one hand, I get it. I really do. I know that the Bible teaches to flee sexual sin. That we must do. On the other hand, we're generally aiming the message at people who are in the most sexually-charged, hormone-flooded, biological clock ticking years of their lives. When you add to the discussion that many of the same people will go on and on about "19...

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If Something Doesn't Die, You Haven't Made a Decision.

#LiveBIGDieEmpty - Some people are hindered simply because they haven't mastered the ability to make a decision. They try to exercise all options at the same time...or keep one on hold until they've exhausted the other. But that's not how life works. That's small living. Big living requires you to decide which way you're going and what you're going to do. Then, once you've decided, do it with all your might! (Ecclesiastes 9:10) It's in the very...

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Why Does Death Sting?

Death stings for the same reason that aging stings...we feel the loss of opportunity, the loss of hope, the ending of new chances. No matter where any of us are, we all hope for a new beginning starting from wherever we find ourselves...whenever we feel like we've lived less than our greatest potential. That's the power of death...it forces us to look in the mirror and examine our own lives. Many times it hurts because we don't like what we see. I'm...

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The Power Of Smiling

I'm pretty sure I don't smile enough. It's not cool, you know? It's not that much of a black "thing" either? As a black man, you probably get more accustomed to scowling than any other expression. I know I need to smile more, but then you catch yourself and realize that you're mean mugging again...like usual. What expression is on your face right now? If you're not smiling, what if changing it would alter the entire course of your day? I...

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How to Receive Turnaround in an Impossible Situation

I get letters and prayer requests from people every week who feel beaten and battered by life. They feel like they spend more time losing than winning and like their lives are stuck in some kind of downward spiral that they can't get out of. They feel stuck. Maybe that describes you today. Maybe you feel like you're going nowhere and not sure how to change that. Maybe you feel like you're in a hole with no way to get out and no one around to...

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8 Keys to Achieving Higher Performance in Your Purpose: Key #8 - What Are You Afraid Of?

I want you to hear me like never before as you read this blog, my last in this series. I have a question to ask you and I want you to really, really think about your answer. What are you afraid of anyway? What are you waiting on to get moving towards your dream and your vision? Are you waiting for permission? Well here it is! I hereby give you permission to step out on faith! I hereby give you permission to dare!! I hereby give you permission...

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8 Keys to Achieving Higher Performance in Your Purpose: Key #7 - Open Your Mouth!!!

PLEASE CLICK BELOW TO LISTEN TO GET TODAY'S KEY!!! (It's only 4 minutes long, but it will bless you!!!) Now here's where you and I can partner. I'm opening my mouth! If you are looking for someone to change and empower your local business, civic or church group, contact me right away! My calendar for the Spring and Summer is getting packed but I want to make sure I'm where I'm SUPPOSED TO BE this year and don't want you to miss a message you're...

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8 Keys to Achieving Higher Performance in Your Purpose: Key #6 - Get Expert Help!

I had a dream last night worth sharing because I think it will be something every person will want to consider, pray about and seek out in their own lives. In my dream I was working on putting together a saxophone. I don't know why. I don't play the saxophone! For some reason, I wanted it. I worked every day on this thing. I was using a spare bedroom in my neighbor's house as my workshop. I would leave it over there and go home in the evenings...

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8 Keys to Achieving Higher Performance in Your Purpose - Key #5: Seek Favor

Seek favor. Favor can take you in five minutes where hard work alone will take you in five years. Here are five ways to cultivate favor in your life: 1. Ask God for open doors and for an eye for opportunity. You can't see what's right around the bend, but He can. Ask Him to show you things you haven't seen. Ask Him for favor. There's no shame in doing so. They always say "favor isn't fair" and I believe it! Life can be challenging enough....

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I Bet Boaz Had a Beer Belly

"He needs to be light-skinned or bi-racial so my daughters can have good hair.""He needs to be tall so I can wear high heels all the time. At least 6'2".""He needs to be a professional athlete because they make a lot of money and I don't want to work.""I refuse to sign a pre-nup. If things go bad, I want half. I'll work if he wants me to, but not at a job that makes a lot of money.""I'm going to live in New York. So he's got to be fine with that."How...

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8 Keys to Achieving Higher Performance in Your Purpose: Key #4 (The Least Appreciated Key)

I call this the master key within the entire series! There is NO SUBSTITUTE FOR DILIGENCE!!! Read what Solomon, the wisest man who's ever lived, had to say about diligence. It's an interesting word. Some people think "diligence" is discipline, but it isn't. Discipline is good, but nothing unlocks your potential like DILIGENCE. Some people think hard work is diligence. It isn't. Hard work is good, but only begins to scratch the surface. ...

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8 Keys to Achieving Higher Performance in Your Purpose: Key #3 - Change Your Associations

In the introduction to this series, I talked about getting intimate with your own special purpose. I believe that each of us was put here with a unique calling and a special mission. It may not always be grand, but it's yours. Key #1 discussed being UNIQUELY YOU!!! Key #2 was about changing your attitudes, actions and approaches to get different results in life. Today is one of my favorite topics. If you want to achieve higher performance,...

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