Another RE2PECT Article: Life Lessons from Derek Jeter

In case you hate sports haven't heard, New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter is retiring from baseball.  For those around my age Jeter's significance as a popular culture figure is matched by only a handful of other athletes.  I grew to love the Yankees of the late 90s and 00s mostly because he always stood in great contrast to his peers.  In a sport full of squares he had more swagger than anyone else, always looking smooth without having to flex.

Jeter's career ends this weekend after 14 All-Star games, five World Series titles and (by my count) 2 would-be MVPs ('99, '06) that steroid users and anti-Yankee voters stole from him.  From twenty seasons of great plays, I submit these as the ones that represent him best. They also give us a guide for life's common problems. 

2004 ALDS, Game 2: Jeter sprints home to score 

Jeter races home on a shallow line drive, risking watching Twins' outfielder Jacque Jones easily throw him out.  Jones is half-paying attention and the Yankees win the game.  

The lesson: Be bold and take chances.  Play life to win rather than to not lose.  Sometimes you'll get thrown out, but other times you catch your opposition napping.  

2001 ALDS, Game 3: Jeter improvises, nails runner at home 

Sprinting out of position to pick off a bad throw from right fielder Shane Spencer, Jeter shovels it home himself to prevent the tying run from scoring.  Still "one of the best plays..." we've ever seen from a shortstop.  

The lesson: Life's plans are futile; they never follow the script we write.  Don't allow fear or stubbornness to stop you from making unconventional adjustments to meet your goals.

Jeter's Jump Throw

Jeter's signature play is physically impossible for most other humans.  Even pros can't muster the agility and strength it takes to pull off this kind of movement.  If you need one piece of evidence to show someone why Jeter was far better than the average ball player, this is it. 

The lesson:  Find your signature- whatever it is that you can do better than most other people- and own it.  Standing out from the crowd keeps the world from getting too boring.  In your #stupid20s, it could also help you get a great job or a date.  

2001 World Series, Game 4: Jeter wins it in extras

The Yankees were trailing the Arizona Diamondbacks 3-1 in this game and were down to their final out before a game tying home run extended the contest into early morning hours.  Jeter finished off the unlikely comeback with a home run that just made it over the right field wall.

The lesson: I'll swagger jack another famous Yankee: it ain't over 'til it's over.  We'll often find ourselves up against perceived deadlines on goals or milestones with little hope of reaching them in time.  Fighting until the end and allowing extra time when necessary helps us squeak out improbable victories.  

Jeter hits game winner in Yankee Stadium finale

After a disappointing year that saw his team miss the playoffs and his personal statistics drop greatly, Jeter finishes his last home game in an incredible way: he delivers a single to right field to end the game and, for all practical purposes, his career. 

The lesson: We live in a broken world where violence, prejudice and hatred exist and sometimes thrive.  In the midst of all that, good things still happen.  Don't relinquish hope for the end of a bad season you're experiencing.  You could miss out on a good finish.  

Lecrae (finally) sits down with The Breakfast Club

Happy Friday!  Kick your weekend off with this interview from a guy who's influenced me to actually buy a CD for the first time in about five years.  I didn't know if would ever happen, but Lecrae sat down with Hot 105.1's The Breakfast Club and talked about what it means to rap as a Christian, without being a "Christian rapper".  Also, check out Vibe's review of his new album Anomaly.   You should also see what the people are saying on Amazon.

The Rejection All-Stars

Rejection is a part of life, and a great deal of it seems to come in your 20s.  From dates to jobs, the "no's" outweigh the "yes's" like a sumo wrestler outweighs a backup dancer.   Getting turned down isn't the end of the world, though.  Sometimes it's the beginning of a whirlwind journey to success.  History is littered with greats who were told they weren't good enough.  Because they persevered after getting declined like a bad credit card, these individuals are recognized in my list of Rejection All-Stars.

Jim Carrey

The comedian who emerged as a star in the 1990s from lead roles in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective and The Mask wasn't heralded early in his career.  He auditioned for the 1980-81 season of Saturday Night Live and didn't get the job.  You've probably never heard of The Duck Factory, the 1984 sitcom featuring Carrey in his first lead role, because it was canceled after only one season.

Kurt Warner

Many teens get their first taste of employment as grocery baggers.  Before leading teams to three Super Bowls and winning NFL MVP, Warner did it as a 20-something pro football flameout after getting cut by the Green Bay Packers.  Failing at the highest level is line thing; doing so in small college football can bring a greater level of discouragement.  Before his initial NFL hopes were crushed, Warner rode the bench for three years and contemplated quitting the team at Division 1-AA Northern Iowa before becoming the starter his senior year.

Steven Spielberg

The Director of E.T the Extra-Terrestrial, Jurassic Park and Saving Private Ryan applied to the University of Southern California's prestigious School of Theater, Film and Television twice and was denied admission both times.  Now, his filmography has its own Wikipedia page.

Everyone faces closed doors.  Keep knocking and eventually you'll find the that's open.

"Just like that... the sun come out": The Other Side of Life's Storms

Just the other day, I saw God can provide hope in the middle of life's down seasons.

I had to make a 3 hour drive across the state as part of regular work travel.  Spending eight hours in the office followed by even more time in the car makes a long day much harder.

After coasting through about 50 miles of sunshine, I ran into a storm unexpectedly.  This was one of those downpours Forrest Gump talked about in Vietnam with "rain that flew in sideways" and "come straight up from underneath", which made it impossible to see any form of daybreak on the horizon.

Not wanting to waste any additional time after leaving late, I gradually drove my way through the pouring rain and suddenly (again, like in Forrest Gump)... it stopped.  What happened next inspired this post.  The clouds disappeared, the sun came out and the biggest rainbow I've ever seen draped the once dreary sky.  Only minutes had passed since I was pushing my car through what felt like a monsoon.  Yet before I knew it, the storm was over.

To put this in a more abstract context:

1. Easy, sunny drive (college!)
2. Driving in the middle of a storm (bad outcomes in the search for a career I love)
3. I can't see any way out (countless applications with no response, interviews followed up with bad news)
4. I keep driving through the storm (persistence in applying despite no obvious leads on the way)
5. The storm is suddenly over (hopefully, this happens next. And soon.)

Apply this to whatever you're struggling with today.  Keep driving through the storm.  There's a rainbow on the other side.