Michael HornThought leader creating a world where all individuals can build passions & fulfill their human potential. Author of the national bestseller Job Moves: 9 Steps for Making Progress in Your Career

Lou Holtz: Make Good Choices

Name: Lou Holtz: Make Good Choices
Uploaded: 2026-03-11T13:01:07+00:00
Duration: 1 min 56 s
Channel: Michael Horn
Description: In this motivational monologue, Lou Holtz addresses young listeners, emphasizing that their future hinges on the choices they make. He warns against…

11 Mar 2026 · 2 min

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1:56

In this motivational monologue, Lou Holtz addresses young listeners, emphasizing that their future hinges on the choices they make. He warns against destructive paths such as drug use, dropping out, or joining gangs, and then presents three simple, enduring rules for making good choices: (1) Do the right thing – build trust by acting ethically even when no one is watching; (2) Do everything to the best of your ability – strive for personal excellence regardless of external accolades; (3) Always show people you care – offer love and understanding, especially to those who may seem undeserving. Holtz ties these principles to concrete goals, urging listeners who aspire to attend the University of Notre Dame to study hard, engage in activities, and embody caring character. He concludes with a heartfelt encouragement, reminding the audience that they can achieve anything if they follow these rules, and ends with a spirited “Go Irish!”

Chapters

I know you're young and you wonder, where in the world am I going to go? It's going to be dependent upon the choices you made. Choose to do drugs, drop out of school, join a gang, get tattoos from head to bottom, get arrested. You choose to have difficulty in life, and don't blame other people. Whatever happens to us because of choices we make. And if you follow 3 simple rules, you always make good choices. Number 1: Do the right thing. It's important to always do the right thing, not because somebody's looking, but because that's the only way you can build trust with other people. You cannot be married, you cannot work for a coach or anything else if it's not based on trust. And the only way you get trust is by doing the right thing. Rule number 2: Do everything the very best of your ability. Not everybody be All-American, not everybody be all-conference, But everybody can be the best they're capable of being. But rule number 3 may be the most important: always show people you care. And remember this: most of the time when we understand that when people need love and understanding the most is usually when they deserve it the least. So your future will be entirely up to you. Decide what you want to do. Make that choice. Make that decision. If it's to go to the University of Notre Dame, then ask yourself 20 times a day, what's important now? If you want to go to Notre Dame, you better be a good student, you better be involved in other activities, and you better be an awfully good person that cares about other people. I could go on and on, but space doesn't allow me. But I will say this, there's so many people that really believe in you and in your future. So good luck to you. Remember, you can do anything in this world you want. If you make good choices. Follow those 3 rules, you always make good choices. Good luck to you. God bless. Go Irish!