How Pro Athletes Stay Motivated: Bret Lockett’s Inspiring Words

Do You Want It?

This week I had the pleasure to talk with former Patriots’ and current NY Jets’ safety Bret Lockett about his training program for my blog (coming this week). Since I know good an well even the pros have their “bad days” too,  I asked,  “On those days you totally don’t feel like working out, what motivates you to show up anyway?”

This was his answer: “I know there’s always someone else in the world that would love to take my position, whether it’s on the field or in life. So me not wanting to better myself as an athlete and a person won’t get me to where I want to be in life. That’s what motivates me every morning.”

Do You Want to Keep It?

You don’t have to be a professional football player to learn from what he is saying here. You can replace “on the field” with anywhere you want to be or anywhere you want to go. Of course, his position on the field and in life is a very highly esteemed one – but the same applies even to the lowliest of jobs and the most normal places in life.

There is always someone who would love to have your job – even if you are just flipping burgers. There is someone who would love to have your spouse, your house, your dog, your kids, your car, your clothes, your mom, your dad or your family’s love. Even if you are overweight and out of shape, there is someone on their deathbed who would love to have your healthier body. Get the message here?

Do You Want to Lose It?

In Bret’s position, there are people training hard to excel and become the next Bret Lockett. What Bret realizes, and we too need to continually keep at the top of our mind, is it’s not just about working hard to GET somewhere. It’s to work equally hard to STAY there. This is especially true in fitness and weight loss. I see so many people working SO hard to lose weight and get in the shape of their lives. After they get fit and are the happiest and healthiest they’ve ever been – and then the stop.

When someone reaches their goal, they treat it like they have “arrived” at their destination and put their body in park – but a body doesn’t have “Park”. Our body has Reverse, Neutral and Drive, but no Park. When we arrive at our destination and “stop”, it’s more like putting your body in neutral – and what happens to a car in neutral when it’s parked at the top of a hill? It rolls out of control back down hill and will likely end in an ugly crash.

It takes a LOT of effort to get somewhere, but it also takes effort to stay there too. It takes effort to “maintain”. If you have worked hard to get where you are, don’t stop now. Don’t throw your prior hard work away. Don’t slow down, don’t go backwards and don’t coast off course. Because, like a car, you body is built with an engine ready to rev up and run on all cylinders. So don’t waste it. Keep MOVING!

Motivational Pic of the Day

I liked what Bret had to say, I HAD to turn it into a motivational mantra pic. If you are also inspired by his words, feel free to share!