Nothing of worth is done without self-belief, and everyone must estimate themselves at a high value if they wish to attain the highest they can.
Connor McGregor is a man who fits this description, and whose self-belief radiates so eminently that those around him acquire an exuberant amount of confidence in themselves, even when they thought they had none.
But McGregor knew that believing in himself was not enough.
In his climb to the top, McGregor’s self-belief had three vital supports – all of which were necessary for him to get where he is, and he regularly credits them for the glory and notoriety they gave him. Therefore, lets learn from him:
1. A Daring Dream
Early on, McGregor had one dream he kept telling people:
“I see myself as the face of the UFC, the headliner, the champion, and I’m just gonna keep that belief, keep showing up in the gym, keep out-hustling everyone else, and get to the top.”
To be bold enough to combine a vision with self-belief is something we see in every high achiever, because this complimentary combination channels all the internal motivation and drive within and directs it toward an extraordinary ambition.
And, in an unexpected show of wisdom, McGregor supplemented his vision by reading The Key to Living the Law of Attraction. However, this wasn’t a book he just rushed through inconsiderately, but instead, something that moulded his thinking. When he found passages that resonated, he would relate them to his experience, assessing them carefully and contemplating these gems so closely that he would then turn the words into his own.
By reading a law of attraction book and wisely using it to amplify his vision, merging and crafting his mind into that of a champion, led him to say things like this,
“I always felt like I was this guy, I always felt like there was big hype around every fight I was fighting, even though I was fighting in front of 20 people in a little club hall somewhere. I always felt like it was a world title fight. So now that these things are actually happening, it just feels like normal to me. I know once that door shuts, that’s when I perform, that’s when I arrive. I’m confident in my ability and I let my fighting do the talking.”
To have a dream is to have your future in your hands, as with McGregor who, both before and after he reached the top, had the courage to believe in himself when others did not. And to have his dream paired with self-belief, was what bore in him the mentality and early signs of a man whose confidence would get him his inevitable destiny of reaching the top.
2. An Inhuman Obsession
Possessing self-belief and doing daily manifestations was not all that gave McGregor his glory. McGregor put in the work.
He understood that, as all the greats do, to exceed in any endeavour requires a level of obsession and supreme focus that many are uncomfortable with. It is the loss of simple pleasantries for a life dedicated to laborious commitments, which not only pertains to consistent training and a strict diet, but also the absence of certain activities in daily life. Here, McGregor describes it further:
“To be the pinnacle at anything you do, you have to be a little bit gone to it. You’re not all there. You have to be almost insane to your craft. That’s why I don’t know about nothing else. There were games of football, rugby, there was this and that; and normal society is like ‘let’s talk about this’, and I can’t do it. People are talking to me, and I’m counting up a number or I’m knee-deep in a sequence on the mat. That’s my life: sequences and numbers. Nothing else. I cannot pay attention to nothing else.”
Because McGregor knew what he wanted, and believed he was destined to have it, he was ready to do whatever it took: He was ready to say no to his friends when they invited him out for drinks; he was ready to take the hits to the head and endure the exhaustion; and he was ready to take the biggest risk of his life by betting everything on this one focus.
To him, it was this obsession that enabled him to get closer and closer to the top, and because of McGregor’s focus, he was willing to turn down certain leisure’s and luxuries to make that happen.
3. All the Help You Can Get
This is the most important.
Everyone knows the famous saying, “there is no self-made man”, and McGregor is no exception – even those with extreme confidence in themselves must admit they need help. And while McGregor had coaches and friends, his strongest ally and support was his beloved Dee Devlin.
She was there with him every day, making sure he woke up and trained, especially on the days when he didn’t feel like it or the one’s where doubt started to creep in. They raised the family together, they fought off the bills and debts together, and at the end of every day, both were tired but would keep repeating, ‘one day, the dream will come. One day’. Now here they are.
After years of toil and stress, years of dreaming and working, the sacrifice that McGregor and Devlin shared together paid off; and when asked about what they went through and what they’ve achieved on their journey together, McGregor gracefully praised Devlin:
“If it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t be where I am today. I definitely look to spoil her. … She does not work anymore. I essentially hired her to the business. She works for me now. That was a special thing for me to do. She worked very very hard. Throughout the years she stuck by me when I essentially had nothing, and only had a dream I was telling her. For me to take her out of work and give her everything she’s ever wanted fills me with pride.”
and likewise, Devlin said two important things about her husband: “I always believed in him, always”, and “He’s never going to lose, you know? Definitely not. Not in my eyes, anyway”. This relationship, and the mindset they shared together, was the lifeblood for McGregor’s success.
Anyone pursuing their dream cannot underestimate the value of those around them – those who believe in and encourage them to keep going. Those who help them through all the drudgery and share in the burdens. It is a quality of success that many take for granted but should never overlook.
Estimate Your Own Worth
Though many only see the cocky side of McGregor on the stage or in the ring, there is a wise humility he shows by admitting that his self-belief was not enough. That it had to be supported by his continual dreaming, his continual focus and commitment, and the continuous help he got from the one’s he loves.
And in a like fashion, to have a dream of a grand future, to have an obsessive-like focus to do whatever it takes to get it, and to have the courage to admit you cannot do it alone, are the supports you need for your self-belief. As a result, you will develop the courage to estimate yourself at a high worth, which in-turn, is the foremost way you can follow all the greats – by turning your dreams into reality.
Written By: Jacob Tarlington