Life throws us curveballs from time to time. Sometimes we take a swing and hit it out of the park, but even a swing and a miss can teach us important, humbling lessons. Few know this better than former MLB pitcher Jake Arrieta.

Jake’s scouting sheet looks like a storybook career: Olympic medalist, Cy Young Award winner, National League All-Star. He even led the 2016 Chicago Cubs to their first World Series in 108 years. However, Jake’s success was not a guarantee. Behind those accolades lies a story of uncertainty and setbacks, and these forged his trademark mental toughness, combined with a work ethic he learned from his dad. As a father of two himself, Jake, alongside his wife, now focuses on instilling the values of family, fortitude, and overcoming failure in their kids. Not everyone can be an all-star pitcher, but anyone can strive to be an all-star parent!

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Follow Jake on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jarrieta34?lang=en
Follow Jake on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jarrieta49/?hl=en

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Outline:
[0:00] Intro
[1:38] Choosing between school and the baseball draft
[11:55] Even teenagers aren’t invincible
[14:17] His dad’s advice kept him on the right track
[16:59] From the Beijing Olympics to the Baltimore Orioles
[25:21] Mental toughness and fear of failure
[38:16] Winning the World Series with the Chicago Cubs
[42:19] Inspiring and encouraging kids is part of the job
[46:08] Politics is dangerous but sometimes unavoidable
[51:19] Speaking out about the MLB’s COVID policies
[59:22] Starting a family while building a baseball career
[1:03:36] Athletes should start planning for retirement now
[1:09:58] Failure is when most learning happens
[1:14:46] Coaching kids’ sports as a celebrity
[1:18:28] Lightning round Q&A
[1:29:27] Outro

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Watch the video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/83k7fi3LMQ8

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Dad Saves America is a channel dedicated to celebrating heroic fatherhood while teaching the next generation of fathers strategies they can utilize in parenting their children. We believe strong children come from a strong family. We’ve had many experts in the studio, including Jonathan Haidt, Dr. Drew Pinsky, Troy Kotsur, John Mackey, Ben Askren, and Adam Carolla.

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Alexander Stubb, Former Finnish Prime Minister