By Sunday 
Over the weekend, Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes returned to where it all began—North Carolina A&T State University—to deliver a commencement address that left the crowd inspired and deeply reflective.
A Full-Circle Moment for Holmes
Standing at the podium in front of a sea of fresh graduates, Holmes wasn’t just another keynote speaker. He was one of them—a proud Aggie whose journey from the lecture halls of NC A&T to leading one of the NFL’s most exciting teams made his words resonate with weight and sincerity.
His message? Life isn’t easy. And that’s okay.
“Choose Your Hard” — A Lesson That Stuck
In a now-viral moment from his speech, Holmes shared a philosophy that’s guided both his personal life and professional career: Choose your hard.
“Life is hard, but you’ve already heard,” Holmes began. “What I heard a few years ago was a poem title, ‘Choose Your Hard.’ It goes like this:
Marriage is hard and divorce is hard. Choose your hard. Obesity is hard, being fit is hard. Choose your hard. Being in debt is hard, being financially disciplined is hard. Choose your hard. Communicating is hard, not communicating is hard. Choose your hard.
Holmes explained how that simple poem hit him “like a ton of bricks” and became a guiding principle. “However you slice it, whichever path you choose, it’s going to be hard,” he said. “The shortcut may feel good in the short term, but life’s going to catch up to you.”
From Grit to Greatness in Detroit
This idea of choosing the difficult—but right—path is more than motivational filler. It’s how Holmes has built the Lions.
When he and head coach Dan Campbell took the reins in Detroit, things were rough. The team started off 4-19-1 in their first 24 games. But Holmes didn’t flinch. He chose his hard. And now, with a 35-9 record since that rocky start and two playoff wins under their belt, the Lions are legitimate Super Bowl contenders heading into 2025.
More Than Football
Holmes’ story is one of grit, resilience, and long-term thinking—and that’s exactly what he wanted graduates to take away. Not just how to win in football, but how to win in life.
His speech wasn’t flashy. It wasn’t full of buzzwords. But it was real. And in a world obsessed with quick wins, that authenticity made it all the more powerful.
One thing is clear: whether it’s rebuilding an NFL franchise or addressing a graduating class, Brad Holmes knows how to choose the right hard.
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