The Life You Imagine: Life Lessons for Achieving Your Dreams [Paperback]

Derek Jeter (Author)

Book Description

Release date: June 5, 2001

Ever wonder what it would take to turn all of your dreams into reality? In The Life You Imagine, All-Star New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter shows how you can use the same game plan that helped an eight-year-old boy who fantasized about playing baseball for the Bronx Bombers grow up and become MVP of the 2000 World Series. With the help and support of both of his parents, Derek developed a practical program that would assist him in achieving all of his personal and professional aspirations-and now he shares his secrets to success so that you can get closer to living your dream, too.

In this inspiring, information-packed book, Derek provides you with the ten lessons that have guided him throughout his life on and off the field, from his dream of being a gifted, hardworking athlete to his goal of becoming an active community leader. Using personal stories from his own life as a student athlete in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and as a Yankee team player, Derek writes about the simple steps that put him on course for success, including:

* Setting your goals high and finding the right role models
* Being serious but still having fun
* Challenging yourself daily and not being afraid to fail
* Surrounding yourself with a strong supporting cast

Filled with rare family photos and pictures of Derek playing for the Yankees, The Life You Imagine is an intimate look into the life of a superstar athlete -- including the remarkable relationship he has with his family, what it's like to play with the Yankees, and how he's used his baseball celebrity to found the Turn 2 Foundation, a drug and alcohol prevention program for kids.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This year's most valuable player on the All-Star team and a shortstop for the New York Yankees, Jeter would seem to have the perfect life. His skills on the field are stellar, and he's already been compared to some of baseball's most legendary players. Teammates and fans respect and adore him. In this affable volume, Jeter, who says he hopes he can set a good example for young people, shares some of his personal history as he outlines the 10 principles that led to his success. Jeter's life was not always idyllic: his mother is white and his father African-American, and they, along with Jeter and his sister, Sharlee, endured slurs and taunts while growing up. Yet Jeter clearly found a bulwark of affection in his parents, who set high standards for him and refused to let him stint on his academic work even as they wholeheartedly supported his athletic pursuits. (In fact, Jeter and his sister had to sign contracts spelling out the daily chores and other work they were expected to do.) Among the lessons his parents helped Jeter learn: set high goals, don't be afraid to fail, find role models and think before you act. For example, in the chapter "Have a Strong Supporting Cast," Jeter discusses the importance of selecting friends who encourage your ambitions and provide frank criticism of your mistakes; he offers many anecdotes of his own friends, including manager Joe Torre and his high school sweetheart, Marisa Novara. Jeter and Curry, a sports reporter for the New York Times, clearly assume the audience for this book will be teenagers who are looking to emulate Jeter's success. In fact, Jeter's story and his genuine concern with "being the best" and "doing the right thing" should motivate readers of all ages. (Sept.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

If you dream it, it will happen. That is the mantra of Derek Jeter, the superstar shortstop of the New York Yankees. How did this scrawny kid from Kalamazoo, Michigan, come to be a starter with the most storied franchise in baseball history? He breaks the answer down into what he calls 10 lessons. His stability, he says, comes from his parents, hard workers who backed Jeter in whatever he wanted to do. Although he seems a bit wet behind the ears in some respects--can anyone be that nice?--Jeter does have a refreshing, matter-of-fact tone when he reflects on the game, his teammates, his family, and how he thinks others can achieve their goals. Even with all his success--Minor League Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year, and two World Series rings--Jeter remains humble, at least on the outside. "Whenever someone tells my father how humble I seem, he'll chuckle and point out that I have more inner arrogance than anyone." Expect interest wherever there are Yankee fans. Mary Frances Wilkens
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Broadway Books; First Edition edition (June 5, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0439356016
• ISBN-13: 978-0609807187
• ASIN: 0609807188
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.8 x 8.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (61 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #115,453 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A true inspirational role model! October 6, 2000

By Kelli Brown

Format:Hardcover

A true inspirational and motivational book. Once I began reading, I found it difficult to put down. A true tribute to how determination, dedication, love, support and a positive attitude can help anyone achieve whatever dreams they desire. Derek Jeter's journey from a childhood dream to the steps and scarifices he took in accomplishing his goal is a life lesson for anyone, whether you're 9 or 99. An intimate look at his family, his thoughts, his fears, his struggles, his triumphs...I found myself laughing, crying and reflecting on my own life as I related his experiences to my own. This book teaches you about Derek Jeter, but mostly, it teaches you about life. A+++++

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Add a Star If You Are Under 18 October 13, 2000

By michael luciano

Format:Hardcover

Derek Jeter is the superstar shortstop for the most well known sports franchise in the world and he reminds us of this on almost every other page. For some reason this does not come across as conceit. Jeter is a truly likeable individual and I think it is great that he has written a book that can serve as an inspiration for teens and young adults. So many of the sports stars out there today are horrific role models for today's youth. Jeter stands on his own as a respectful athlete who has not squandered his immense talent. That being said, while this book is a must read for any sports fan under the age of eighteen I do not believe that adults will feel the same way. I am a Yankee fan so I was able to find enjoyment from Jeter's stories about the great championship seasons of recent years. However, others will probably find the story telling a little too simplistic. If you are looking for a tell all book about his relationship with Maria Carey you will not find it here. If you are looking for a great gift to give to a young aspiring sports fan, this book is perfect.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Role Model for all ages. September 18, 2000

By A Customer

Format:Hardcover

I could not put this book down. Derek Jeter has become a role model for people of all ages. It's an honest look at his life and how he has become so successful. This book is a touching tribute to his parents and the wonderful job they have done. I would recommend this book to young people and their parents too. Enjoy it.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The New Pride of the Yankees September 16, 2000

By Michael P. Zuccarello

Format:Hardcover

I bought this book for my son, who devoured it inside of a week. What I like most is the focus on enduring principles, like persistence toward a goal and daring to dream big. In an age when sports stars like Charles Barkley and John Rocker squander opportunities to use their stature to benefit the kids who admire them, Derek Jeter and Jack Curry have created a road map that any kid can follow, whether they want to be a baseball star like Jeter or the premier baseball writer in the business like Curry. My son and I read this book together and had some great discussions about my son's aspirations and how we can work together to help him achieve his dreams. This gets 5 stars from me and 5 from my son Casey.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars An inspirational book from a true role model September 12, 2000

By "jennespn"

Format:Hardcover

Derek Jeter is young by most all standards. At 26 years old he has his whole life ahead of him, but the story he has lived so far is incredibly rich in inspiration. As an athlete in the dawning of the 21 st century the way he chooses to live his life in the spotlight is even more commendable considering the alternative routes he could have chosen to go down. Instead of a money hungry, media blasting, bitter ball player, Derek Jeter has become a man we all can admire because of the little boy with a dream that he was... someone we can all identify with. This story solidifies his standing as a great role model for young and old alike. In this book you will see Derek's childhood and his ongoing journey through this life he has imagined. You will find out how deeply his family has grounded him and how wonderful a job they did. This story is great if you want to be inspired by a truly wonderful young man!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The 7 Habits of the Highly Effective Derek Jeter May 25, 2001

By Thomas P. Cole

Format:Hardcover

That might have been a better title, because it reads a lot Stephen Covey of Franklin/Covey fame. Since reporters have been spoon-feeding us tales of his Jeter-ness since he was a rookie, Yankee fans probably will not learn much that they did not already know. It is nice to have it all in one place, though: the child proclamation that he would be the Yankee shortstop; the uncertain nights in Tampa as a teenage bonus-baby; the dates with Mariah. The story of how his parents and he jointly created the "goals" sheet for each coming year is perfectly retold, and the book includes a picture of the actual document created by Derek and his parents. However, this book is by no means a kiss-and-tell: in one vignette, an aging, unidentified utilityman infielder makes the young, minor-league Jeter pick up balls on the field. Jeter is bummed but compliant, but then the wise Gerald Williams tells his Jeter-ness that he should play it cool, because "that guy is gone" as soon as Derek is ready. A nice story, but come one, who was the villian? Velarde? Fernandez? I do not fault Mr. Jeter for his discretion, but the reader should know this is not Jim Bouton or Sparky Lyle material.

The bulk of the book is devoted to the self-improvement themes ("Set your goals high!", "Have a strong supporting cast!"). The positive message is encouraging, and I thus would recommend this book for middle school students and perhaps other people under 18. I'm older than that (see my reference to Jim Bouton), but since I subscribe to many, if not all, of Derek's theories, I enjoyed it as well. Those who are jaded can pass on this one.