BRET LOCKETT: More Than Just A Player

by Cyrus Webb


Though many people have gotten to know Bret Lockett as a member of the NFL's New York Jets it would be a definite mistake to think of him as just another jock.

At a young age he has shown himself to be not only dedicated on the field but in every facet of life. Before I interviewed him on the radio show Conversations LIVE I have to admit that I knew very little about Lockett and the work he had done. I quickly realized, however, that he was an individual that was making moves that would soon affect the world.

Case in point: Shortly before our conversation Bret Lockett and Mobli Founder/CEO Moshe Hogeg signed a partnership agreement in which Lockett joined the company's advisory board. Forbes Magazine recently reported that Mobli, a social photo and video-sharing app, had over 2 million of its 3 million users sign up in the last several months. Celebrity investors of Mobli include Leonardo Dicaprio, Tobey Maguire and Lance Armstrong.

When he is not promoting the Mobli brand, Bret is focusing on his own which includes work as a model, recording artist and activist for causes that matter to him as well as his own Looking Forward Foundation.

With so much going on I asked Bret if he really got a chance to just sit back and reflect on all of the exciting ventures that he's involved in. "I don't really have the time to think about it," he answered. "I just keep it moving. It's one of those things where you keep knocking down each hurdle and jumping over the next one. There have been a lot of things I have done that I'm proud of. There are also a lot more that I want to do."

As someone who believes that all greatness has a beginning, I asked the entrepreneur if he could remember when he knew that moment for him. "I just did what I thought came natural and what was organic for me," he responded. "I think everybody has been bred with something great. Look at individuals like Michael Jordan and Kobi Bryant. When the opportunity presents itself they are able to achieve that. Each step in my life has been a building block. I just stacked them until I got to where I wanted to be...and I am still doing that."

A great deal of his determination also comes from his upbringing. "My parents have always told me to respect yourself, always believe in yourself and never quit. My mom told me that 'Whatever you start you need to finish.' I learned all of this at a young age, and it just stuck with me."

There is little doubt that football was a real passion for Lockett, but I was surprised to find out that it was not the only sport that caught his eye. "I played all of them," he told me. "Soccer, baseball, basketball...you name it, and I played it. My whole family is football fans. Football was the one that stood out to me and that I excelled in the most. My only goal in college was to play in the NFL. I had no aspirations past that at the time. I wanted to be the best football player I could be."

With the success in football Bret Lockett became a household name. His picture was being shot at events as well as red carpets, and he developed a fanbase that includes thousands on the social networking sites Facebook and Twitter. "I really can't believe that I am where I am sometimes," he confesses. "When I do sit back and think about my life it seems amazing that people know me and recognize my name. I am blessed and honored to have the opportunity to do something positive for myself and others."

Even an injury couldn't keep this driven individual down. It was during that setback that he was able to explore another passion: music. "I have always been into music ever since I was young," Lockett told me. "The problem was that I never had the time to pursue it. In the last 2 years after my injury I told myself that rather than sit there and do nothing I decided to pursue it." Like with everything else he does, he told me that when it comes to music he does what is in his heart.

Despite being a part of the celebrity world, Bret has done his best to remain true to the values instilled in him early in life. "It's one of those things where you have to remember where you came from," he says. "When you are driven and making moves you have to remember what your core values are. I have been able to remember that."

Giving back is something that he takes seriously, whether he is lending time and his resources to causes like PETA or talking about the dangers of bullying with Bullyville. To really make sure that he is paying it forward for the next generation, Bret started the Get It All Campaign. "When you help other people that is more important than your getting something on my behalf," he told me "I've always given back. Being able to have a platform to share a message for the youth and teenagers is what drives me. We are all people at the end of the day. We all have different roles to play but we are all equal. We need to bring everyone up."

There are so many lessons to learn from this conversation with Bret. One is that you can't judge a book by its cover. He also shows that you have to realize your strong points and continue to work on them as you progress in life. His closing words for you, our audience, were this: "You can't give anything to anyone unless you have worked on yourself and tried to be the best that you can be inside and out."

Stay in contact with Bret Lockett and the work he is doing on Twitter at www.twitter.com/getitallcamp and
www.twitter.com/bretlockett26 . You can also visit his website at www.bretlockett.com.