Louis Leo Holtz is a former American football player, coach, and analyst. He served as the head football coach at The College of William & Mary, North Carolina State University, the New York Jets, the University of Arkansas, the University of Minnesota, the University of Notre Dame, and the University of South Carolina, compiling a career record of 249–132–7. Holtz’s 1988 Notre Dame team went 12–0 with a victory in the Fiesta Bowl and was the consensus national champion. Holtz is the only college football coach to lead six different programs to bowl games and the only coach to guide four different programs to the final top 20 rankings.
Source: Wikipedia (via CC-BY-SA license) • READ: Works by Lou Holtz
Ability is what you’re capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it.
—Lou Holtz
No one has ever drowned in sweat.
—Lou Holtz
Topics: Work
You’re never as good as everyone tells you when you win, and you’re never as bad as they say when you lose.
—Lou Holtz
Topics: Criticism, Critics, Confidence
If you don’t make a total commitment to whatever you’re doing, then you start looking to bail out the first time the boat starts leaking. It’s tough enough getting that boat to shore with everybody rowing, let alone when a guy stands up and starts putting his life jacket on.
—Lou Holtz
Topics: Commitment, Dedication
If you are bored with life, if you don’t get up every morning with a burning desire to do things—you don’t have enough goals.
—Lou Holtz
Topics: Boredom, Goals, Bores, Desire, Life
The man who complains about the way the ball bounces is likely the one who dropped it.
—Lou Holtz
Topics: Chance, Complaints, Circumstance, Complaining, Pessimism
If he’s got golf clubs in his truck or a camper in his driveway, I don’t hire him.
—Lou Holtz
Topics: Work
Coaching is nothing more than eliminating mistakes before you get fired.
—Lou Holtz
Topics: Leadership
It’s not the load that breaks you down—it’s the way you carry it.
—Lou Holtz
Topics: Attitude, Strength
You’ll never get ahead of anyone as long as you try to get even with him.
—Lou Holtz
Topics: Revenge
On this team, we’re all united in a common goal: to keep my job.
—Lou Holtz
Topics: Teams, Teamwork
When all is said and done, more is said than done.
—Lou Holtz
Topics: Action
How you respond to the challenge in the second half will determine what you become after the game, whether you are a winner or a loser.
—Lou Holtz
Topics: Challenges, Competition, Winning, Winners
Show me someone who has done something worthwhile, and I’ll show you someone who has overcome adversity.
—Lou Holtz
Topics: Failure, Adversity, Determination, Purpose
It’s not my job to motivate players. They bring extraordinary motivation to our program. It’s my job not to de-motivate them.
—Lou Holtz
Topics: Motivational, Motivation, Jobs
In the successful organization, no detail is too small to escape close attention.
—Lou Holtz
Topics: Attention
All winning teams are goal-oriented. Teams like these win consistently because everyone connected with them concentrates on specific objectives. They go about their business with blinders on; nothing will distract them from achieving their aims.
—Lou Holtz
Topics: Competition
If what you did yesterday seems big, you haven’t done anything today.
—Lou Holtz
Topics: Self-improvement, Progress
I have a lifetime contract. That means I can’t be fired during the third quarter if we are ahead and moving the ball.
—Lou Holtz
Topics: Sports
You were not born a winner, and you were not born a loser. You are what you make yourself be.
—Lou Holtz
Life is ten percent what happens to you and ninety percent how you respond to it.
—Lou Holtz
Topics: Attitude
If you burn your neighbors house down, it doesn’t make your house look any better.
—Lou Holtz
Topics: Critics, Criticism
Motivation is simple. You eliminate those who are not motivated.
—Lou Holtz
Topics: Motivation, Motivational
I think everyone should experience defeat at least once during their career. You learn a lot from it.
—Lou Holtz
Topics: Defeat, Failure, Career
Don’t be a spectator, don’t let life pass you by.
—Lou Holtz
Topics: Action
Don’t tell your problems to people: eighty percent don’t care; and the other twenty percent are glad you have them.
—Lou Holtz
Topics: Problems
Do right. Do your best. Treat others as you want to be treated.
—Lou Holtz
Topics: Character, Service
I can’t believe that God put us on this earth to be ordinary.
—Lou Holtz
Topics: Purpose, Potential, Greatness, Gambling
Adversity is another way to measure the greatness of individuals. I never had a crisis that didn’t make me stronger.
—Lou Holtz
Topics: Adversity, Difficulties
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