We asked some of the hardest working artists, creatives and entrepreneurs we know to open up to us about where they think they got their work ethic from. Below, you’ll find some of those responses, stories, and advice.
Ioanna Meli
The values of hard work, respect and kindness were instilled in me by my parents. To add to that, experiences such as participating in school clubs and European exchange programs, studying and working abroad undoubtedly helped me develop a work ethic. Working on team projects at a young age teaches you a lot about what’s expected of you as well as what you expect of others. Read more>>
Randall Whitmore
I was born and raised in Northern Illinois, where I spent my adolescent life. From an early age, my parents, who ran a towing and automotive repair business as well as a gas station about 30 minutes north of Chicago, instilled in me a strong work ethic. Read more>>
Rachel Kylian
I come from immigrant parents, who were hard worker, so I believe I got that from them. I also lived and worked in Germany for few years, and people are highly efficient there so I took that with me. Read more>>
Kiera Gregory
Growing up as an only child to a single mom, who suffered from financial instability after escaping an abusive marriage, I learned fast that the only way to succeed in life, was to work hard for what you wanted. My mother worked tirelessly to give us a better life, after losing everything she had to her abuser, and she had to re-start her life from the ground up. Read more>>
Amy Prenner
I got my work ethic from my parents. As a young child they encouraged me to get good grades, study hard and go on to college, all of which I did. I thought I knew everything when I was just a young woman fresh out of college. Little did I know that I had a lot more work to do on me and figure out I thought that internships automatically meant that the doors would open me to my dream job. That was just a blip. Read more>>
Rick Jein Kuan
I believe my resilience comes from a combination of personal experiences and the values instilled in me throughout my life. Growing up, I faced various challenges that required me to adapt and overcome obstacles. These experiences taught me the importance of resilience and the ability to bounce back from setbacks. Read more>>
Jamie Paine
I grew up extremely poor and so I learned what I needed to in order to survive. To some that may sound dramatic but to others like me who wondered if they would have a place to sleep after school or a safe adult to come home to, that was life. Read more>>
Josh Lewis
I got my work ethic from getting out there, doing the work, and seeing the results. When my band played the Sunset Strip in the 80’s we borrowed $400.00 for an ad in a local rag to promote our first headline show at the Troubadour in Hollywood. Read more>>
Leonardo Garay
My work ethic comes from my father and my uncle, they were entrepreneurs since I can remember, they were responsible for giving me the example of never giving up and being the best in any area of entrepreneurship. Read more>>
Gretchen Norman
My work ethic comes from my dad and husband. They are 2 of the hardest-working people I know. Also, I would have to say my clients as well. I can’t imagine letting either my family or customers down. Even when I struggle with a migraine, I push through to ensure that their orders are finished on time and beautifully. The smile on their face when they pick up their sweets is what keeps me going. Read more>>
Maranda Evans
My work ethic comes from my mother. I watched her as a child work two jobs as a single mother to take care of me. I was raised by my grandparents and godfather, who also taught me I had to work hard to get to where I wanted to be in life. They taught me that nothing in life is free or handed to you, but with faith and dedication, you can achieve your goals. Read more>>
DeJongh Wells
My work ethic is deeply rooted in the strong example set by my parents. Growing up in the US Virgin Islands, I witnessed firsthand the tireless dedication of my parents—a school teacher and a fireman. Their commitment to their respective professions and the hard work they put in to provide for our family has been a significant influence on my work ethic. Read more>>
MICHELE MITCHELL
I’m almost 62 so both parents grew up during the depression. What they learned in real time and imparted to me was to give an honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay. No short cuts, no excuses, and mostly, as a barometer for self-worth. Read more>>
Kiana Hughes
My work ethic is deeply inspired by my late mother, LaDonna. As a single mother, she raised my brother and me with incredible dedication. Her commitment to her job at Ford Motor Company World Headquarters was unwavering; I don’t recall her ever taking a day off. Read more>>
Felicia Bell
Good work ethic has always been a value in my family. I remember growing up and admiring my parents for how hard they worked. I always knew that all of their hard work was for the betterment of the family and so that I could have the opportunities to pursue whatever I dreamed. Read more>>
Jamie Sterling
My work ethic definitely comes from my Dad, my mom, and within myself. Growing up I saw my dad, who worked in the bindery business, go from working for a company to opening his own business. in opening his own company, he worked 7 days a week, around the clock. Fortunately, I was provided with the opportunity to work for him during the summer and holidays as a teenager. Read more>>
Amanda Montabone
I believe I got my work ethic from a few different things, but it first came from how I was raised. I was fortunate enough to be raised by two incredibly amazing, hardworking people who showed me firsthand what hard work can get you in life. My father stayed with the same company from his first job out of college, till the day he retired and had an amazing, successful career. Read more>>
Terah Bajjalieh
My unwavering work ethic is deeply rooted in the unique tapestry of my upbringing, having been shaped by the resilience and tenacity instilled in me by my mother who was a single parent. I was raised in a household where my mother shouldered the responsibilities of mostly everything. Read more>>
DJ Nate Da Great
Where do I get my work ethic from?? That’s a good question, A lot of people in my life are hard workers, my parents are a prime example. I’ve seen my parents grind hard endless days and tired nights to make sure me and my siblings didn’t suffer but I also had to learn to get it on my own as well. Read more>>
Mikaela Grissom
As a kid I always had this vision in my head of a girl who sitting in my luxury car with shopping bags, being rich and famous. At this time, I was in love with a show called “Hannah Montana” and wanted my life to be just like the main characters. I carried this vision with me throughout my childhood. Read more>>
Courtney Torain
I come from a family of self driven and successful entrepreneurs dating back to my grandparents. If I had to pick one person that I got my work ethic from, it would be my dad. Growing up, I always admired my father’s work ethic – his self discipline and drive to do whatever it took to not only provide for his family, but to also reach and accomplish his goals he set for himself. Read more>>
Armen Akopian
My parents emigrated to the United States with very little money in their pocket, no family or connections to anyone here and with a 3 year old kid – me. When we first arrived we were living in a one bedroom apartment in Queens, NY. Read more>>
Amanda Yamate
Growing up, I was an elite athlete. My whole life I was competing in the thriving southern california volleyball scene and had the pleasure of playing alongside some of the best athletes in the world. I went on to get a full ride scholarship to play at an NCAA Division I college. Read more>>
Aadya Chaudhary
rom a very young age, I’ve been instilled with the value of hard work. To me, success has always been a by-product of consistent perseverance, not merely intelligence or skill. I’ve always been taught that diligence triumphs over innate-talent and this value is the basis of my work ethic and has been ever since I was little. Read more>>
Michelle Green
I was raised on a farm in a small town in South Carolina. Everyone works when you are raised on a farm. Read more>>
Maurice Costello
Coming with the good questions…..A good work ethic in the context of the clothing industry involves a set of values, behaviors, and attitudes that contribute to personal and professional success. Upholding a commitment to delivering high-quality products is essential. Read more>>
The Fisher Girls
We get out work ethic from our father. He worked several jobs to provide for us and he loved it! He was a go getter and by watching him we too became go getters. Read more>>
Alexis Finley
I get my work ethic from my mother, Krystina Rae Sanchez. She was a single teen mom that came from nothing who went to college, had a full time job, battled a terminal auto-immune disease all while raising me. Everything I do is in her memory and when I feel like I can’t do something, I remember she did. I get my resilience, generosity, optimism and light from from her. I don’t have another choice but to succeed. Read more>>
Kevin Scott
I got my work ethic from my dad, even now at 64 he is go,go,go with multiple tasks at one time. I was raised to get the job done and help others along the way. Read more>>
Megan Larson
I get my work ethic from being raised in a small agricultural community in northcentral Montana. Hard work is just something everybody does, regardless of age. From the time I was able to work, I was. Read more>>
Michael Wright
My father and grandfather. At the young age of 13, I could hang sheetrock, tape and bed, caulk, and paint houses better than many professionals. This was due to my father and grandfather’s attention to detail. They demanded the best. Read more>>
Craig and Karla Axelson
Our dedication to hard work has deep roots in our upbringing. My grandfather, a devoted dairy farmer, showcased incredible determination to provide for his family, laboring tirelessly well into his 80s. This strong work ethic became a part of me from a young age. I can still vividly recall being 5 years old, attending tap and ballet classes after school. Read more>>
Bridget L. Moore
I’ve come to understand that 90% of our achievements as artists come from discipline, with the remaining 10% being attributed to talent. My triumphs are a testament to resilience and self-motivation, which is quite necessary in this field. It’s similar to becoming your own enthusiastic advocate and consistently nurturing your creativity. Read more>>
Kedar Maddula
From a space of responsibility and to use my experience and expertise in design in the field of textile craft as a means of understanding of life from our indigenous knowledge bank. Read more>>
Keeda Kollins
Growing up with nothing definitely builds you to be different from other’s. It teaches you strength and control confidence, it teaches you to work harder than the next person, because you already come from nothing. And no one has shown you the way, so its up to you to build the best version of yourself. Read more>>
Marissa Lenti
Weirdly enough, I think it’s innate, in a way. I’ve met many people over the years whose work ethic I admire, and when I ask them this same question, they often just say that they simply cannot leave a job undone, or do it poorly, and I relate to that heavily. When I think about not doing the absolute best that I can on any given job I have to do, it makes me extremely anxious. Read more>>
Federico Conforti
I derive my strong work ethic from a combination of factors, with a significant influence coming from the values instilled in me by my family. They taught me the importance of honesty and integrity, which have become integral to my work ethic, guiding me in maintaining a transparent and principled approach in all my professional endeavors. Read more>>
Kristin Yezza
There’s two quotes that come to mind when I think about work ethic. The first is one that said something to the effect of, we each have two lives, the second life begins when you realize you only have one. And the second one was from Steve Jobs and it was something like, if you are working on something exciting that you really care about, you don’t have to be pushed. Read more>>
George Williams
I developed a strong work ethic as a result of a life changing event that happened to me at the age of 13. My grandfather died during that time, leaving my grandmother alone in the house in which my mother and her 8 siblings were raised. What’s significant about my grandparents is the fact that they lived in a small rural area located in central Virginia. Read more>>
Zia sanders Aka Dream
My work ethic definitely comes from my upbringing. Hard work & determination was instilled in me & i took to it. My dad is a really big influence on my business aspiration side. Read more>>
Jonne Amaya
A friend at some point asked me if I ever wondered why so many foreigners were business owners- My family being a good example of that. We moved from Mexico and settled in California when I was 5 years old. Much like my friend pointed out, my family did own a business and worked consistently in growing that business. My mom would work every day and oftentimes was so busy that wouldn’t be able to spend time with us. Read more>>
Speed Ratliff
I was raised by a single mom in Los Angeles, who provided very well for me. I never really wanted for anything material, i was a pretty happy kid. My mom had this thing where she sent me to pretty much all white schools all my life from grammar school to high school I was one of few black kids in school. She wanted to make sure I was getting the best education of public school could give. And that had a interesting and unforeseen sort of downside. Read more>>
Amanda Thorne
I would say that I get my work ethic from my family. Growing up, both of my parents worked hard to provide for us, and they did whatever it took to give us a great education, and the ability to be involved with events at school or in our community. Read more>>
Rex Ju Ju
My parents immigrated to America extremely poor, not speaking English. They instilled the quality of resilience into me from an early age to my twin brother and I. Because they needed to thrive in a new country with no knowledge of the language, they taught my brother and I that being average was never enough. Read more>>
Gina Clarke-Helm
I’d have to say that there are several factors that are responsible for my work ethic. Having been on my own since I was 17 years old, I developed a since of survival which created a determination to succeed with a no option to fail attitude. Thus, I was motivated to work hard and I developed a can do attitude which lead to an unwavering commitment to be successful. Read more>>
