The ability to work hard has always been underappreciated and devalued by various elements in society. In our experience, it’s crystal clear that having a strong work ethic and positive attitude towards working hard is highly predictive of success. Below, you’ll find highlights of our conversations around how one might go about developing or leveling up their work ethic.
Olivia Martignacco
I’d say my work ethic comes from the strong women in my family who showed me the importance of resilience and independence, but also from my own experiences. I started working at 15, and ever since, I’ve carried the mindset that no matter what the job is big or small there’s always something to learn and take with you. Read more>>
Mallum Sanchez
I often find when people rely on me, it provokes me to do my best. Going to the gym, work, whatever it may be, if somebody needs me to show up, I’ll be there. I highly recommend setting up meetings with friends for different situations, particularly on the weekend. Read more>>
Nicol Kuburoglu
My work ethic has always been rooted in my passion for music. From a young age, my parents encouraged me to follow what I love, and everything else would fall into place. That advice stuck with me. I’m driven by the joy I get from bringing live music to people and knowing that what I do can make thousands smile – it’s incredibly fulfilling. Read more>>
Joo Yun Julia Kang
I credit my work ethic to my parents, who immigrated from South Korea shortly after the Second World War. Growing up, I witnessed their resilience, humility, and relentless determination to build a life from the ground up. Their strength taught me the value of perseverance and integrity — qualities that continue to guide me in everything I do. Read more>>
Kim Grant
I grew up in a blue collar family. My father was an asphalt layer all of his life and my mother was a life-long employee of the Illinois state government. My grandfather (maternal) was a contractor with a construction business. I learned about hardwork from all of them. Before coming to public relations, I worked many years in the service industry. Read more>>
Abbigail Ackerman
I get my work ethic from the women in my life, primarily my mom and grandma. They were instrumental in cementing how important time management is when it comes to anything you set your mind to. My grandma was an office manager for the Catholic school I attended as a child. Read more>>
Bradley Kahabka
When I was younger, probably around 12 or so my dad introduced me to boy scouts and I ended up making it all the way to the rank of Eagle Scout. I had a really good troop that would do extreme sort of camping where we really were responsible for our own well-being. Read more>>
Elizabeth Soul
My work ethic comes from my heart. I’m a passionate creator, and every decision I make is rooted in truth and alignment — in how I want to show up, how I serve, and the inspiration I want to provide others with. I don’t see it as work, to me it’s natural. It’s creation. A channeling of what moves through me on a core level. Read more>>
Joleene Salas
My Mom and Dad were both raised in large families with very little money. They were part of the generation born during the Depression. My dad was raised on farms. They worked hard for anything they wanted to have. I grew up similarly. We didn’t have much money, so I worked for everything I had. Read more>>
T.C. De Witt
I grew up as a long distance runner. My dad is a collegiate cross country and track coach, and he instilled upon me the work ethic and discipline necessary to run a race. You do all the workouts right, and you can run the marathon. Running is an individual thing, but it’s also a team sport. Read more>>
Julie Harris
My work ethic stems from watching my parents run their small business for decades while I was growing up. Both my Mom and Dad were extremely hard workers who overcame multiple obstacles in their lives while working their business and raising me. I saw first hand how hard work and personal drive can help move the needle forward towards success in business. Read more>>
Dan Weiss
My work ethic comes from two worlds that both demand consistency and excellence — emergency management and classical music. In both, you can’t fake preparation. You have to put in the hours, pay attention to detail, and work seamlessly as part of a team. Read more>>
Melody Crump
Sometimes I feel like work ethic is hard to find these days. I had a unique experience growing up as a ‘restaurant kid’. My parents owned a family business my entire life, so I learned this very young. I was taught to ensure the job was done correctly and to have a sense of pride in my work. Read more>>
George Dunn
I have a real passion for and excitement toward horror literature, one that is only fuelled and influenced by the wonderful “bookstagram,” community that I’ve found myself to be apart of. Read more>>
Sandra Huynh Jones
I get my work ethic from my upbringing. Growing up, I was raised by a single mother who worked hard to provide for our family. Watching her balance everything and still show up every day taught me the importance of perseverance, responsibility, and gratitude. Read more>>
Abagail Burton
I like to believe my work ethic comes from my grandmother, who passed earlier this year. She married young but was always independent. Other than never getting her driver’s license—she was a passenger princess until the very end—she really did it all on her own. Read more>>
Donald Fodness
I was born on a farm in Minnesota, and most of my family members have a strong rural midwestern work ethic. It was modeled for me to minimize complaining, to push through regardless of circumstances, toughness and grit, and a scrappy resourcefulness that has made its way into my artistic aesthetic. Read more>>
Cassidy Burel
It’s hard to say whether my mom or dad influenced me the most when it comes to working hard. Read more>>
Kendrick Parker
I grew up poor and like many others I had to work for the things I wanted. If I wanted to play basketball or football at school, I had to cut grass, do odd jobs for neighbors and family, or pick and sell pecans etc. Read more>>
Elissa Jackson
Throughout my life, I have been inspired by exceptional role models who have instilled in me the importance of striving for my goals. My grandparents and parents consistently demonstrated a strong work ethic and determination. Notably, my grandmother, who immigrated to the United States from Spain, exhibited remarkable resilience as a single parent and hardworking individual. Read more>>
Kerelle “Laura” Brown
I developed my work ethic at a young age by watching my family. Growing up in New York, I quickly learned that hard work is essential to succeed. My father was a business owner who often worked over 90 hours a week, and seeing his dedication showed me what it truly means to commit yourself. Read more>>
Beki Song
I don’t think my work ethic comes from a rule of “working hard.” It comes from a will to survive. Since I was young, I often felt that my inner world was complicated and confusing. I didn’t know who I was, what I liked, or what I truly cared about. Making art became a way of searching for myself. Read more>>
Kay Poema
I learned resilience by accepting early that I would not have a support system to fall back on. Intergenerational trauma tore holes through my family, leaving me to navigate life with the awareness that I had to stay sensitive to the lessons the world was teaching me. Read more>>
Don Carr
As a life long worker, starting with jobs and chores at home from a very young age, to my first real job as a paper boy at 13, numerous roles in the food industry, throughout a 25 year career as a sales, marketing and branding executive working with high profile brands. Read more>>
Hunter Page
I grew up watching both of my parents work incredibly hard. My mother started and ran more than a dozen small businesses throughout my life, while my father often juggled multiple jobs at once. Somewhere along the way, I absorbed that work ethic — the understanding that turning any idea into reality takes persistence, patience, and long hours of dedication. Read more>>
Sami Jo Lien
I think my work ethic really comes from my family. I grew up in a family business that my grandpa, his father, and his brother started back in 1953. My mom began working there when I was very young, and I got to watch firsthand how hard she worked, earning her master’s degree while working full-time and raising both me and my special-needs brother. Read more>>
Semira Sawyer
I get my work ethic from my mother. Growing up with a single mom, I watched her create a life built on independence, consistency, and resilience. She made sure I always had everything I needed not just materially, but emotionally and mentally too. My mom owns her own recruiting company, where she specializes in placing civil engineers in federal roles. Read more>>
Jamilah Conway
That’s a great question. I get my work ethic skills from being in College. In my undergrad years I was ahead in most classes when it came to school work etc. Read more>>
Kristin Schaer
Where I Get My Work Ethic From…. People often ask me where my drive comes from and how I keep pushing forward, balancing entrepreneurship, family, leadership, and everything in between. The truth is, I didn’t learn to work hard in a boardroom. Read more>>
Matt Scott
I got my work ethic from my dad. While growing up we always woke up early on the weekends and had chores and projects to work on. During the summers when school was out we always had a list of things we had to get done each day. Read more>>
Candace Huff
At a young age, I can recall recognizing the mental and physical freedom I felt after completing and task or accomplishing a goal. I remember setting fence posts with my dad, and being so proud to work alongside the hardest working man I know, as well as feeling proud of what we had accomplished. Read more>>
Claire Whitcomb
My work ethic comes from a genuine drive to be self-sufficient and succeed. I’ve always valued the ability to stand on my own two feet, not just financially, but in creating something meaningful that I can be proud of. That sense of independence pushes me to give my best effort, no matter how challenging or time-consuming the work may be. Read more>>
Vanessa Villagrana
I have 3 people in mind who’ve molded my work ethic first two are my parents. Growing up, I watched my dad work two jobs at two hospitals, he’d wake up around 5 a.m., work until the afternoon, and head straight to his next shift, often getting home around midnight. Read more>>
Margie Gerald
I get my work Ethic from my mom and Dad, they were always hard working parents. They did all they could to make ends meet and did a good job at it. Read more>>
Gabriela Domville
My parents were both very hard-working people, so they set the example for me early on. My father was an OB/GYN surgeon in Mexico City. At that time, he didn’t belong to a hospital group where others could take his place — so he was on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Read more>>
Larry Zanoff
My father, may he rest in peace, always said: “anything worth doing, is worth doing right”. My father and I were very close in many ways, we shared the same interests, and so growing up, he instilled that work ethic in me. This idea of doing things right, becomes even more important when family, friends, and colleagues are depending on your help. Read more>>
