I offered my hand and said, “I’m so honored to meet you.” Lou Holtz, with an easy smile, looked at me with sparkling eyes and said, “I don’t know who you are, but I thank you so much.”
I was in the presence of a genuine, quality human.
The following morning, the gentle guru was the conference keynote speaker. His endless football coach accolades and his numerous books are worth a Google search, but he impressed me most with his wisdom, humor, attitude, and humility.
His quotes were both entertaining, and wise:
“I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth because I was born in this great country.”
“I didn’t coach football, I coached life.”
“My players didn’t like me. My obligation was to my wife and family. If they found me murdered, they would never find the murderer because there would be so many suspects.”
“Speak soft, don’t yell.”
“Attack the performance, not the performer.”
“I don’t discipline, I enforce. Choices have consequences.” (If the rules are clear)
“If you’re not growing you are dying.”
“If you want to do something bad enough you will find a way…(solution) If you don’t really want to do something you can find excuses.“
“If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans.”
“You’re never going to achieve greatness without sacrifice.”
“If you’re on the bottom, you have two choices….stay down or get up.”
“No one has ever drowned in sweat.”
“If you’re bored with life — you don’t get up every morning with a burning desire to do things — you don’t have enough goals.”
His message included three rules for success:
Do what is right. “There is never a wrong time to do the right thing and never a right time to do the wrong thing.”
Do everything to the best of your ability. We have obligations and responsibilities, not rights and privileges. Focus on why we can do something instead of why we can’t.
Show people you care. His wife is very ill, and after the family joined forces in her support, her eyes filled with tears, and she said. “I didn’t know you all cared.” Lou said, “We always loved her, but we didn’t show her.” Trust, commitment, and love are how you show you care.
He closed with, “We only need these three rules…we don’t need a fourth rule.”
If I could share dinner with any person of my choice, one who has a philosophy I support and admire, it would be Lou Holtz.
Until the next time: Live while you live.
Jennifer Goble, Ph.D., LPC, is the author of “My Clients…My Teachers,” and the blogger and writer of Rural Women Stories: www.ruralwomenstories.com.
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Absolutely excellent! I wish we could ALL live by those statements.
Geri, I wish I could even remember a fraction of what he said. He was witty, had personal stories that supported all his beliefs, and had a high sense of humility and appreciation. Pretty good package:)
Encouraging. High standards to strive for.
He certainly was an inspiration, Arlene. He was like a flowing river of wisdom.
I have a Lou Holz story. He spoke at a camp Jarod was attending. Jarod wrote him a letter, thanking him for being such an inspiration. Months later J received a reply, thanking him for his letter,saying it had come at a rough time for Mr Holz, encouraging him that he was making a difference for others. I was so impressed that Holz would be so transparent and honest and would take the time to respond. Thank you for sharing your Lou Holz story.
Geri, I am not at all surprised. I would guess he has a ton of similar stories where he made a difference in somebody’s outlook on life. How cool for Jarod!
Paul and I heard him speak at an insurance conference. We have a picture taken with him! Purchased a tape and shared it with our middle school Sunday school class. I do remember him saying he tells his football players to kiss their girlfriends goodbye, put their cars up on blocks. They’re there to play football!
Mary, I can imagine him saying and meaning just that. I think he expected the same commitment and focus he brought to the field. I so enjoyed him.