Whitelock said he found the ambassador role challenging but also "very, very rewarding".
"A couple of times I've had people come up to me and just shake my hand and say thank you and walk away and you just know straight away that the small part that I'm doing is having a big impact on some people's lives."
As for his role on the footy field, Whitelock said he was feeling positive.
"I'm really enjoying my rugby at the moment."
He knew that keeping an eye on his wellbeing helped with how he handled the highs and lows of the game.
"I'm like everyone else, I'd love to go out there and win every game, and play really well every game, but that's not reality.
"So sometimes, it's just putting things into perspective and going, right - what can I control? And go and deal with that."
One technique Whitelock had been working on for the last couple of years, was to "take out a lot of the noise," in order to focus on what was important.
"[I] just go right – what can I do first? And that's play well.
"Everything else should flow from that - whether it's being captain or being a senior member of the team."
Going it alone wasn't an option when under pressure either, even when in the captain's role, Whitelock said.
"It's never just about myself. It's always about the group of five or six key guys and making sure that we all do a good job.
"Everyone has a different style of leadership, whether that's getting out in front and giving the big motivational speech, or just going out and playing well.
"That's probably where I see myself … I've just got to go out and show some massive effort and get stuck into my job and nail that.
"So it's never just the one person's job."
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Whitelock said keeping his head in the game was also helpful when under pressure - especially with Richie McCaw's 148 All Blacks test record within his reach.
"It's something that I'm aware of - yes. I'd love to get there, don't get me wrong - but I know that if I start worrying about numbers and counting test matches, your form drops then all of a sudden you're on a slippery slope to … being selected or not being selected at all.
"I've just got to make sure that I play well and if I'm lucky enough to catch up to Richie – outstanding; if not, I've still had a pretty awesome career."
As well as being an All Black and a Farmstrong Ambassador, Whitelock is also a farmer and runs an 830-hectare sheep and beef property in Hawke's Bay.
The region was currently dealing with unseasonably soggy weather, he said.
"No one can get on the paddocks it's just so wet and boggy, which is a little bit unheard of for Hawke's Bay but it's just the way the season is this year."
Like many farmers, Whitelock had a pragmatic approach to the weather.
"I'm sure it'll even out at some stage. That's farming – you've got to farm to the weather and sometimes Mother Nature can throw stuff at you."
As for the future, Whitelock was taking it one day at a time, even though a rugby career in Japan was beckoning.
"I haven't actually thought that far ahead – there's a few little conversations going on but just kind of dealing with what's in front of us at the moment.
While he was always looking ahead, Whitelock said it paid to keep an eye on what's going on right now.
"[I'm] enjoying playing rugby still – I've done it for a while but still enjoying it - so that's one of the main things I'm focusing on."
Find out more about Farmstrong here.
