See, winners embrace hard work.

Holtz’s line frames “winning” less as a moment of triumph than as a long-term posture toward effort. The key verb, “embrace,” suggests welcoming difficulty rather than merely tolerating it: hard work is not a tax paid for success but part of what defines a winner’s identity. In a coaching context, the quote functions as motivational instruction—redirecting attention from outcomes (scores, trophies) to controllable inputs (discipline, preparation, persistence). It also implies a contrast with those who seek shortcuts or only perform when conditions are easy, arguing that sustained excellence is built through deliberate, often uncomfortable labor.