There are a lot of stories coming out after the mega money fight this past Saturday. The ones I am enjoying the most are the stories of where Conor McGregor came from.
A Quick Summary
A decade ago, McGregor was collecting welfare checks from the Irish government. After choosing to leave an apprenticeship as a plumber, Conor decided he wanted to take up the fight game.
The welfare checks were enough to support his training, and pay for necessities. Being the sanguine personality that he is, those checks also paid for Conor's trips to nightclubs, where he met his love, Dee Devlin.
The support of Dee, and an intervention from Coach Kavanagh kept Conor from going off the deep end.
Conor has always been eccentric, but at the time he was not being disciplined enough to make a name for himself. There was a heart to heart meeting between Coach Kavanagh, and Conor's family one night that set the tone for the future.
Soon after, Conor won his first UFC bout, and excitedly shared his winnings as, 60 G's.
That taste of success began to fuel a rise to stardom, and a Rocky like story for the little guy to cling to.
Mentorship and Family
Conor's story goes to show the importance of a balanced team around a transcendent talent.
The wasteland of lost talent is littered with what if scenarios. Many a man and woman have gone astray because the right people were not around them to knock them upside their head when they needed it.
Conor has said time and again that he would not be where he is today without Dee. His main goal now is to set her and his family up so they never have to worry about money again.
You may not have "made it" yet, but you'll never be there unless there are people that round you out on the way there.
Success is not in reaching a mountain, it is the success you become on the climb.
Image Sources: 1-2
Video Source: McGregor's first UFC win