The legendary New York Yankees former captain Derek Jeter had once said, “I think there’s something wrong with me – I like to win in everything I do, regardless of what it is. I just enjoy competition.” But even the winners have fears. For Jeter, it was the chance of being caught off-guard.

He dreaded the idea of facing any challenge, big or small, without the proper preparation. And he didn’t just stumble into the World Series countless times just by accident – he prepared for it with his hard work and won. So it’s also no surprise that the former Yankees captain spent a solid decade planning for his retirement from the game as well. 

Derek Jeter’s fear of not being prepared 

For athletes, retirement is a looming shadow that can cast a veil over the peak of their careers. After all, when they have spent their entire life chasing a dream, what happens when that dream finally comes to an end?

Jeter, however, was determined to face the predicament head-on. He knew that his time in professional sports was limited and that he had to make the most of it. So, he spent the last decade of his career preparing for what was to come. 

READ MORE: “We Play a Sport That’s Full of Negativity” – Derek Jeter Once Emotionally Unwrapped the Role of His Father in His Successful MLB Career

According to a recent GQ interview, here’s how he narrated it, “I was fortunate I played for 20 years. I had an opportunity to start preparing for what was next. I didn’t wanna wake up one day and say, “What am I gonna do now?” I like to prepare. I told you this, my biggest fear in life is being unprepared in anything I do.”

“So I really spent the last ten years or so deciding what I wanted to do next and started to prepare for it. Because you talk about retirement, I think people assume you retire from being a professional athlete. All you do is drink wine and golf, right? I mean that lasts for two weeks then you gotta find something else to do ’cause we’re all competitive,” he added.

The captain’s preparation was definitely a success 

Well, Derek Jeter’s preparation for retirement was definitely a success, because not only did he achieve the rare feat of owning a stake in an MLB team, the Miami Marlins, but he also established the Turn 2 Foundation to help young people ‘turn to’ positive lifestyle choices. And now, he’s all geared up to become a sports analyst for Fox News. 

Derek Jeter is still making waves even after his retirement. And it seems like it is time to take his word for it and apply it to our own lives!

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