4 Career Lessons From New York Yankees Captain Derek Jeter

After 20 years of playing ball with the New York Yankees, 40-year-old shortstop Derek Jeter announced his retirement in 2014 in order to welcome a new chapter.

"I have new dreams and aspirations, and I want new challenges. There are many things I want to do in business and philanthropic work, in addition to focusing more on my personal life and starting a family of my own. And I want the ability to move at my own pace, see the world and finally have a summer vacation," he announced on his Facebook page.

Respected by all of baseball and recognized for his class and clutch plays, Jeter will be most remembered as a captain.

Here are four career lessons from one of the most revered players in Major League Baseball.

Don't only set goals, but work toward them

"I know they say that when you dream you eventually wake up. Well, for some reason, I've never had to wake up. Not just because of my time as a new York Yankee but also because I am living my dream every single day."

With drive and focus, you can make your dream a reality. Dreams may change, but the path to finding that dream is through dedication, commitment and work ethic. Stick to what you love and work toward that goal every day.

Don't be afraid to fail

"You're going to fail more than you succeed. If you don't keep your emotions in check, it's going to be hard to come to the field every day. I learned that at a young age."

Failure is a learning experience. It may not feel like it at that very moment, but once you find those weak links, you can do better and be better. Failure allows you to measure your success. If you strike out at the plate, you don't stop playing; you learn the pitch and eventually hit that home run.

Pace yourself

"I've always tried to focus on what's next. The next goal and the next goal. When I was going for 3,000 hits, my parents told me, 'Listen, you need to enjoy it, as opposed to just getting it over with.' So I want to take it all in."

Enjoy your success. Where's the value in the work you're doing unless you take a step back and realize the impact you're having. Who are you helping? Who is impacted by what you do? If you're constantly looking at the end goal, you're missing out on the journey.

Lead by example

Be humble. Be grateful. Thank the people that have helped your success. This is the definition of a class act. These are leadership qualities you want to exhibit and work because not only will people want to learn from you, but they'll want to help you.

Note: Jeter's quotes are from a press conference in February and from his retirement announcement on his Facebook page.

Liz Torres can be reached at liz.torres@monster.com. Follow her on Twitter @etorres446.