This week’s conversation is with Tyler Lockett, a football player who currently plays Wide Receiver for the Seattle Seahawks.
Tyler was drafted by the Seahawks in the third round of the 2015 NFL Draft, and played college football at Kansas State, where he broke multiple records.
This is the first time I’ve had a current member of the Seahawks on the podcast and it was a special conversation.
Both Tyler’s father, Kevin, and uncle, Tyler, were star football players at Kansas State and went on to play pro ball.
Tyler shares how he dealt with the pressure of living up to their legacy and the anxiety and stress it initially caused him – even driving him to a panic attack at one point.
Tyler has a strong faith based framework that allowed him to overcome these challenges and become the man he is today.
Now, I realize many of you may not aspire to play professional sports and some of you may live a life separate of any faith based denomination, but this conversation is really about living with alignment.
It’s about finding the right framework for you – the framework that allows you to be your best in any environment.
For Tyler, his belief in God is a big part of that – and his poetry.
He began performing at open mics and poetry slams in high school, and he has written poems to work through personal issues, inspire his teammates, and give young people an opportunity to reflect on their lives.
Tyler just released his first book, “Reflection,” an inspiring collection of original poetry addressing topics such as identity, sports, race, relationships, and how to live a purposeful life.
I definitely recommend checking his book out!
“When you take yourself out of the equation, life is more peaceful. When I’m living for God, I’m able to enjoy the fruits of my life, without worrying about how can I get more. I learned how to be content and happy.”
In This Episode:
- Growing up with his father and uncle both being legendary football players at Kansas St.
- Following in their footsteps and the struggle that came with trying to live up to their legacy
- How his spiritual framework helped him overcome these struggles at Kansas St.
- Learning to focus on the work and not worry about the results
- Getting drafted by the Seattle Seahawks and experiencing anxiety in his early NFL career… often worrying he wasn’t needed and could be cut at any time
- Experiencing a panic attack and realizing he needed to learn how to better control his anxiety
- How journaling helped him identify his triggers that caused the anxiety
- Learning to let go of his need for control and how that helped him become happier and more at peace
- Why his relationship with God is so important to him
- What he says to people who have been turned off by Christianity
- Is God active or passive for him?
- His purpose in life and why poetry is an integral part of it
- What inspired him to write his new book, “Reflection”
- His definition of mastery
