We’ve all heard the phrase “work hard, play hard,” but where does our work ethic come from? Is it something we learn from our parents, or are we born with it? Do our friends, work environment or the city we reside in impact it? We asked some of the hardest working folks we know to share where they think they get their work ethic from.
Ryan Quinn Flanagan
There is a lot to be said for hard work in anything you do, and I tend to attribute my work ethic to my father enrolling me in organized sports in my youth. Swimming, one inglorious year of hockey, and competitive soccer up to the age of 18. Read more>>
Joe Edgar
I grew up as the child of a large, low-income family of 13 in rural Oregon, where work was simply part of daily existence. My mother cleaned our local church as a janitor, and my father was a home-building contractor. Read more>>
Marina Alves Pereira
I’d say my work ethic comes from both experience and influence. Early on, I was inspired by my mother’s example, she’s always been very focused and committed to giving her best in everything she does. Over time, working in different environments gave me new perspectives and taught me the value of adapting while maintaining high standards. Read more>>
Senita M. Hill
My work ethic was shaped by my grandparents and the entrepreneurial neighborhood in which I was raised Read more>>
Roondunnii Marshall
I get my work ethic from the women who came before me — my foremothers, my mother Denise, and my grandmother Rosemary. They worked, went to school, and raised families with no excuses. They did what needed to be done, even when the odds weren’t in their favor— and they did it with pride. Read more>>
FERNANDO D TORRES
I Get my ethics from all this beautiful experiences that I have experienced over the years to become the better version of myself. Read more>>
Brodie Lyon
I got my work ethic from my Dad. My Dad served 27 years in the U.S. Army, did two tours in Vietnam, has a purple heart, bronze star and an Air Medal. My, Dad, Carl A. Lyon, retired as a Command Sergeant Major and is buried at Arlington Cemetery. Read more>>
Jordan Burningham
I definitely think my dad showed me how to work hard and work for other benefit. Read more>>
Nadia and Lyla Valdovinos
We definitely get our work ethic from our parents. Read more>>
Isaak Elker
Work ethic was definitely something I had to develop in myself. When I was in my teens I wouldn’t have said I had an extremely high work ethic, but that changed when we started our band Good Morning Bedlam. When we first decided to try to go on a tour I had to try booking shows at venues all across the country. Read more>>
Tury Rodriguez
My mother, watching her hustle as a kid really taught me if I wanted to be good at something or succeed I would have to put in the time and effort on top of having talent Read more>>
Mandy Dorr
I’ve been surrounded by entrepreneurship for as long as I can remember. My parents started their own business when I was just five years old — they risked everything to build something from the ground up. Read more>>
Flore Lenoir
My work ethic is rooted in a simple belief: when work carries meaning, it becomes an act of both creation and connection. I’ve always been driven by the idea that every project is an opportunity to blend rigor with humanity, precision with empathy. Read more>>
Jessica Hopkins
I developed my work ethic from watching my parents lead by example. Both were incredibly hardworking and, in their own ways, perfectionists. My dad worked the same job for over 35 years, often through the night as a truck driver, showing unwavering dedication and consistency—even when it meant missing family activities to rest during the day. Read more>>
Kathleen Daidone
My work ethic took shape early in life. I’ve always been driven to set goals and see them through. It started in school — I wanted to do well not just to keep up, but because I discovered the satisfaction of doing something with care and purpose. Read more>>
Devon Alarid
I credit my work ethic to a mix of family influence and my background as a dancer. My parents always modeled that hard work pays off—whether that meant staying late, keeping your word, or taking pride in every job, big or small. My brother led by example too; he’s one of those people who never does anything halfway, and that rubbed off on me early. Read more>>
Joshua Hooks
My work ethic comes from being raised by an entrepreneur father who lived and breathed hard work. He was the kind of person who led by example, never asking anyone to do something he wasn’t willing to do himself. From a young age, I watched him build, hustle, and persevere through both success and struggle. That consistency and grit became part of who I am. Read more>>
Snow Ford
I got my work ethic from people telling me I wasn’t enough Read more>>
Jessie Ferguson
I think my work ethic comes from both my family and my creative process. My newest work, FORGE, actually draws from my Scottish heritage and my family’s journey of moving to America. It’s about resilience, rebuilding, and shaping something strong out of struggle. That idea really mirrors how I approach work. Read more>>
Darrick Jones
I got my work ethic from my late grandfather! He owned a tire shop when i was a kid so i watched him get up and grind everyday Read more>>
Amy Gray
I got my work ethic from my parents. They both worked hard and never made excuses — they just got up every day and did what needed to be done. I grew up watching that, and it stuck with me. Even when things weren’t easy, they showed me that you can get through just about anything if you stay steady and keep moving forward. Read more>>
Rubi Barba
I get my work ethic from my parents. My mom was a stay-at-home wife, and my dad worked long hours — sometimes seven days a week — to support our family. Even though their roles were different, they both showed me what true hard work and love look like. Read more>>
Greg Jenkins
Both of my parents were educators. My mom was a kindergarten teacher for more several decades prior to retiring and my dad a high school principal. When you see both of your parents never miss a day of work as you grow up, a work ethic is instilled in you. Read more>>
Dr. Sarah Cash Crawford, PT, DPT, COMT, CMTPT,
This is an easy one to answer: my parents. My dad is “uneducated” in the sense that he never went to college. He worked as a door-to-door salesman selling printers and as a maintenance man at an apartment building. Read more>>
Linda Kaplan
I got my work ethic from my parents! I am from a small town in Austria. I grew up having hard-working parents trying to give My siblings and I a beautiful life. My dad takes the bicycle every morning at 4:30 AM to work. He doesn’t care if there’s rain or anything. Read more>>
Keri Davis
I grew up in a small town in South Texas, living with my parents and just down the road from my paternal grandparents. Everyone was an entrepreneur of some kind. I saw a great deal of hard work and stick-to-itness going on. My grandfather and dad were out of the house at 5 am getting road crews out to pave roads. Read more>>
Kianna Metcalf-Fourte
I get my work ethic from the people and responsibilities that mean the most to me — my family and my business. Being a mother and a wife has taught me the value of consistency, accountability, and doing things even when they’re hard. Read more>>
Angela Macke
Where did I get my work ethic from? Well, the short answer is: survival. The long answer is that my childhood wasn’t exactly the stuff of Hallmark movies. Until I was 13, “unstable” would’ve been a generous way to describe my home life. My mom was addicted to drugs, my stepdad was abusive and also addicted, and adult supervision was… optional, at best. Read more>>
Saintdior Jadediv
it’s pretty much do or die. not really trying to speak to much into the subject. kind of just have to understand. maybe it’s the new york in me. some people barely sleep. isn’t because they want to work around the clock. at some certain point it isn’t an option. Read more>>
Lisa Oberst
My work ethic comes from wanting to better myself and create something I’m excited about and proud of. Doing things as well as possible has never been a question for me. It’s just a given. Perhaps it’s about proving myself and showing the world what I’m capable of. Read more>>
Isaac Anguiano
Strong work ethic runs deep in my family. My grandfather came to Santa Barbara for avocado farming then worked at the mission in the press industry, this instilled a drive to work hard in my father and uncles and was passed down to me. Read more>>
Eric Cooper
Story. BIO RON ALEZZA INDEPENDENT ARTIST – SONGWRITER – STORYTELLER Born (Eric Ronald Cooper) in Detroit, Michigan, Ron’s creative roots run deep. His mother, an independent lyricist, and stepfather, creator, bandleader and songwriter of the touring cover group “Heavenn,” who gained popularity throughout the 1980s and 1990s, inspired his early love of music. Read more>>
Ciara Zurita-Jackson
I got my work ethic from my dad. My dad was a hard worker until the day he passed away. He worked long overnight hours to put food on the table. He also was a mechanic on the side, which I always thought it was because he enjoyed being a mechanic, but it was a way that he provided for his family. Read more>>
Arwen Podesta
My grandmother always said I had ‘sticktuitiveness’. She was an inspiration, full of knowledge, also humble. She worked on political campaigns, was always outspoken and commented on the world. She said that ‘education is wasted on the young’ and I took that to heart. I pursued my medical degree starting at the age of 27, a little later than most. Read more>>
Sarah Chaves
I got my work ethic from all of my grandparents. I am a first generation, so they brought me up with the values to work hard, be smart about my finance, and to always have future goals. Read more>>
Kelly Jansens Mensch
I got my work ethic from my father. He immigrated from the Netherlands and built a life here through sheer determination and hard work. Growing up, I watched him put in long hours without complaint, always doing what needed to be done — not for recognition, but because that’s just who he was. Read more>>
