“Just Block Out…”: Yankees Legend Derek Jeter Once Picked Golf Over Baseball While Sharing Sage Advice on Overcoming Criticism

Criticism is part of achieving great success, especially in the sports. While fans are the best pillars, they are the worst critics. They even don’t spare the legends. While most players are affected by the bad comments of the fans, Captain Clutch is different.

Derek Jeter is undoubtedly the most popular Yankees legend with an extraordinary career. However, he also received severe criticism from fans. Surprisingly, he never seemed bothered by those.  Once during an interview, the former Yankees Captain shared his secret of ignoring criticism while picking Golf to justify his points.

Derek Jeter Advised the Youngsters to Deal With Criticism

The 5x World Series Champion is renowned as one of the calmest person in the baseball world. But still, he couldn’t avoid criticism. While he used to be greeted with a loud chanting in his every game, he received bad comments as well. Not always from fans. Sometimes even renowned players and authorities have criticized Jeter.

A year ago, in an interview with DreamBank by American Family Insurance, the former Yankees captain was asked about his advice to the young generation on how to deal with negative comments or criticisms. Specifically social media criticism. Captain Jeter replied, “I would say just block out the noise. You know, I didn’t pay too much attention to it. Criticism, as my career went on, didn’t bother me. I tended not to read it, not to listen to it, not to hear it because once it enters your mind only bad things can happen.”

He further progressed on his advice, but surprisingly, he didn’t choose Baseball for it. Instead, he pointed to Jack Salzwedel and said, “So I’m a firm believer, Jack knows this about golf, the last thing you think is the first thing you do.” Captain Clutch continued, “You’re out there, ‘just don’t hit it left, don’t hit it left’, you hit it left. And I think it’s the same thing when you’re trying to perform. If you have in your mind a negative thought, that’s what’s going to happen. So I think you just try to block out the noise.”

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Throughout his career, the MLB legend has taken criticisms as part of his regular life. He was aware but not affected by them. He even thought of them as motivation to progress.

Captain Clutch on Criticism- Motivation or Burden?

While Jeter received the greatest goodbye when he was retiring, he even received mockery and rude comments throughout his career. However, he never reacted aggressively; instead, according to him, criticisms are part of life. They motivate to improve. He mentioned when there’s no way to stop, one has to learn how to deal with it. That’s the only solution.

Even about the current New York Yankees’ season and the mockeries the team has been receiving, the former captain said, “Fans are critical, you expect it.” When they love, they expect their team to win. Otherwise, there will be criticisms that should be faced.

Do you agree with Derek Jeter about criticism? Share your opinion with us in the comments.

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