Early in his football career, Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch earned the nickname "Beast Mode" for his aggressive running and tackling style. But Lynch didn't realize the name meant something beyond the NFL until he watched a Starbucks barista make a coffee beverage.

In an exclusive interview with Maxim, an international men's magazine, Lynch described Beast Mode as: "It's the drive, the will, you know, to not be stopped no matter what it is you do in life. It's bigger than a football game. It's something that I apply to my everyday life. It's more than just a phrase - it's something that I've wrapped my mind around and grasped and am completely in tune with."

Here's his response to Maxim's question: When did you realize that the Beast Mode idea went beyond football?

This is how I know: I went to Starbucks and there was a guy in there working. I don't drink coffee, but he was in there putting together some mocha lattes or something. And he saw me and he was like, 'Beast Mode, this for you! I'm going into Beast Mode!' This guy was mixing up whatever coffee drinks he makes. I was just like, 'Damn, this is a guy who's taking his job and maximizing it to best of his potential.' And I realized that's exactly what Beast Mode is. It's something off the field that can come out of just anybody or that is just in somebody."

Lynch witnessed a partner (employee) who was living the Starbucks mission: To inspire and nurture the human spirit - one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time. These kinds of encounters happen every day in more than 21,000 Starbucks® stores around the world. Customers, how have Starbucks baristas made an impact on you? Let us know. Email: newstips@Starbucks.com

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