"I didn't dream of being a UFC fighter, I dreamed of being a UFC Champion."
Conor McGregor isn't just shaking up the sport of UFC (The Ultimate Fighting Championship), he is reshaping how we look at sports and success all together. Aside from winning two different UFC belts (Featherweight and Lightweight), McGregor’s UFC fights have broken attendance and PayPerView records, and has garnered a spirited fan base all around the world. All this from a kid from Dublin, Ireland who was once a plumber's apprentice.
In a move that is unprecedented in UFC, on August 26, 2017, McGregor is taking his talents out of the octagon, and into the boxing ring versus undefeated Floyd Mayweather, Jr.
So how did he get here? With a combination that is unstoppable. McGregor uses an equation that sums up his success. This formula can be applied to all areas of sport and life.
(V + A) x B = S
(Visualization + Action) x Belief = Success
Using imagery and visualization
McGregor says he channels the powers of the law of attraction and does detailed mental rehearsals of his achievements before they happen. This use of vivid imagery (using all of his senses) has been a life changing strategy – when times are going well or when faced with adversity.
"I'm big into visualization. I have visualized every part of my career and thus for all of it has come true. I don't worry about my opponent or their game. I worry about my game."
“This is the law of attraction. In this struggle, when things are going good and you visualize good things happening, that’s easy. What’s not easy is to do is when things are going bad and you’re visualizing the good stuff. And that’s what I was able to do. Visualizing good things in times of struggle, when you can do that, that really makes the law of attraction work.”
An unmatched work ethic
No one pushes harder or puts themselves through a more rigorous training program than McGregor. He understands that he can't just visualize and attract success. In the end, you can't spell attraction without the word action. McGregor knows he can't just think it, he has to put in the work as well.
"There's no talent here, this is hard work. This is an obsession. Talent does not exist, we are all equal us as human beings. You can be anything if you put in the time. You will reach the top, and that's that. I'm not talented, I'm obsessed.”
An unwavering belief in himself
Through his passion, imagery, and action, McGregor channels the power of belief to make his intentions come true.
“If you have a clear picture in your head that something is going to happen and a clear belief that it will happen no matter what then nothing can stop it. It is destined to happen. It’s perfect.”
How can you better use visualization and imagery to help your subconscious create a roadmap for your body to follow? Are you focusing on negative or positive thoughts?
“You need to appreciate your surroundings and be grateful for it, and that’s when good things happen. To have that bitterness and negativity, that’s when things go bad. I think the fact that I appreciate everything and that I’m grateful for the things around me, that’s why it’s going so good for me.”
Gratitude sets the stage for greatness. Once you've set the intention of what you want, and can see it (with a sense of gratitude and belief), the next step is to take the necessary actions to make it happen.
How can you use the equation (Visualization + Action) x Belief = Success to achieve your goals?
Below is a video of how McGregor showcases the power of using visualization plus action and multiplying it by an intense belief.