5 Things You Can Learn From UFC Champion Conor McGregor

UFC Featherweight Champion and international superstar Conor McGregor lives an extravagant and flashy lifestyle the likes of which the UFC has never seen. He is often compared to  Muhammed Ali and Floyd Mayweather due to his very boisterous and prevalent trash talking. Whatever your personal feelings on the man may be, one thing is certain: he has taken the UFC and pop culture in general by storm and despite his recent loss against Nate Diaz, it appears he is here to stay.

One can learn many things from The Notorious. This article will include five life lessons from the fighter, each of which aim at making you a better human being.

1. Push Your Limits

Conor McGregor is known for pushing his limits. He fights only the best fighters, goes for knockouts, and even pushes himself to move up in weight classes. None of these things are easy; however, he gets them done. Why not go for easy fighters and collect his paycheck while never risking his record? The answer is because McGregor knows that the core of the human experience is pushing oneself towards excellence. Think of all the things you would miss out on in life if you never pushed yourself; everything from writing to walking to getting to college exemplifies this tenet. The bottom line is, you don’t really know how strong or great you can be unless you push the boundaries every once and a while. I’m not saying pick up some gloves and aim for the heavyweight championship (unless you want to), I’m simply suggesting that if you’re thinking about doing something new, don’t let difficulty deter you.

2. Work Hard And Never Rely On Talent Alone

Mystic Mac is undoubtedly a talented fighter, but talent alone doesn’t get you to a UFC championship. It takes dedication, much training and discipline. For instance, if an individual wishes to get fit he or she must put countless hours in the gym, doing cardio, weight training, not to mention a healthy diet. Skipping days every once in a while won’t do much harm, but if skipping days becomes a habit, then all of your training will have been for nothing. The same goes for academic activities — missing one homework assignment won’t kill your grade, but if they pile up they will. Complete assignments on time, study for tests, and for God’s sake, go to class. In the end, all the blood, sweat and tears will not go to waste and sweet progression will be yours.

3. It’s OK To Talk Sh*t On Occasion As Long As You Can Back It Up

Trash talk is an integral part of sports; it serves as a way to hype both parties up to create a better competition. McGregor is well known for his trash talk. Fighters such as Diaz and Aldo have felt the verbal fury of the Irish fighter and have tried to talk back with little avail. The key here is to be confident in one’s ability and to make sure others know you are confident. It is much harder to tear down a house made of concrete than it is one of wood. Trash talk also serves as a form of psychological warfare; it’s a way of breaking down your opponent before ever facing him or her. The most successful athletes know this and fighters such as Tyson, Ali, and Mayweather have used this tactic. One thing must also be stated: it is not always appropriate to trash talk your opponent. For starters, if you trash talk and lose, then you make yourself look like a fool. People also tend to harbor negative views towards cocky individuals so if you take it overboard, prepare to be disliked.

4. Be Humble In Defeat

In Conor McGregor’s most recent fight, he lost to Nate Diaz by submission in the second round. This was a huge upset that shocked the world. Instead of making excuses such as “I had to move up in weight, he didn’t,” or “I was never supposed to fight him, I was under-prepared,” he in his own words “stormed in and put it all on the line. I took a shot and missed.” His humility was genuine and instead of leaving the ring in a fit, he congratulated Diaz and stayed for a quick interview in which he critiqued his loss concisely and accurately. The key point here is to not be a sore loser. You can’t win them all and complaining or making excuses just makes you look immature and less appealing. Analyzing your mistakes and congratulating your opponent will be much more beneficial and help you to win the next time.

5. Do Not Give Up On Your Goals

The tenacity of McGregor is formidable and commendable. He comes from Ireland where no UFC fighter before him has come out of. He had early losses in his career, yet he did not give up. He famously stated that before the UFC he was on welfare and was struggling just to get by. Instead of giving up on his dream and getting a regular average Joe day job, he continued to pay his dues and work one day at a time until it paid off. The message here is clear: don’t ever give up on your dreams and goals; never settle for less and work hard until you physically can’t anymore. A favorite quote of mine from Winston Churchill goes as such: “If you’re going through hell, keep going.”

With these lessons in mind, try to strive for personal excellence. Progression is difficult but obtainable and always rewarding. When you find yourself in positions of doubt, when you are on the cusp of defeat and you feel as if the world is against you, reflect on the lessons you can learn from Conor McGregor — they may just make you great.