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.

Caroline Gates

When I was in eighth grade, my family needed to live in two states for my dad’s work. As it is very difficult to attend school when you live in one state for half the week and a different state for the other half, I started homeschooling. Read More>>

Aaron Ho

My work ethic comes from my roots in NYC’s Lower East Side Chinatown, where I grew up in the ’80s as the son of immigrant small business owners. My parents worked tirelessly with no days off to provide for us, teaching me resilience, community, and pride in craft. Their perseverance showed me that with dedication, even the toughest challenges can be overcome. Read More>>

 Dr. Ryan Rubin

I’ve always had a strong work ethic and a drive to continuously grow. Since high school, I’ve juggled multiple jobs, each one offering a chance to develop new skills. Whether it was working as a lifeguard, personal trainer, caterer, or valet, I’ve always sought opportunities to learn and improve. Even while in school, I was determined to make extra money and gain experience in different areas. Read More>>

Syd Marguleas

I attribute a large part of my work ethic to living and working in New York City. I lived in Manhattan for seven years right out of college and learning how to navigate the city as a twenty-something year old played a major role in my personal and professional development. It was all about the grind and very much a work hard, play hard environment, which I’m grateful to have experienced so early on in my career. Read More>>

Amelia Houde

I was brought up with positive and hard working role models. My Dad went back to school when I was a child while managing a full time demanding job and a family. I saw his dedication and work ethic to better himself for our family. While my brother and I were doing homework, so wasn’t my Dad. Read More>>

Vidhi Kshatriya

My work ethic comes from a deep sense of purpose and the clarity I have about what truly matters in my life. As a mom of two, I wake up every morning at 4:45 AM with a clear vision of what I want to accomplish—not just in my business, but in the way I show up for my family and myself. MELT Naturals was born from that balance: the drive to create something meaningful while staying present in the everyday moments. Read More>>

Patricia Musselman

My work ethic was shaped by the incredible dedication I witnessed from my mother, grandmother, and father. From a young age, I saw them work tirelessly, and their perseverance left a lasting impression on me. By the time I was 13, I knew I wanted to earn my own money, not just for the things I wanted but to build a sense of independence and pride in my efforts. Read More>>

Trisha Peña

Being born in 1964, I was on the tail end of the Baby Boomers. Although I identify more with Gen-Xers for the most part, there is definitely one thing that I got from the Baby Boomers and that is my work ethic, or my “stupid” work ethic as I have come to refer to it. Not that I regret the jobs that I had, but I have lived long enough to see that my type of work ethic, while it was pretty much standard from after WW2 through the 90s or even beyond, is not in vogue much anymore.  Read More>>

Phylicia Felton

I think my work ethic comes from my mother. Growing up and watching her commit to and fulfill her obligations with grace really allowed me to understand the importance of doing good work, and doing it with excellence. Now, when I work, I like to meet and exceed all expectations because that is how I was raised. I don’t just do “good enough”. Read More>>

Evan Towell

I attribute my strong work ethic to my upbringing, shaped by my parents and the great teachers I had growing up. In my acting career, my dedication stems from the invaluable guidance of my coaches and mentors. Anthony Paderewski instilled in me the importance of continuous training, treating it like a workout routine to keep my skills sharp.  Read More>>

Sarah Shin

So my dad owns a restaurant, Bonjung Sushi & Korean BBQ, out in the Philadelphia suburbs. We’re about to reach the 20th anniversary in March, and for as long as I can remember, I’ve seen my family work day and night to keep business running. To this day, I help out with updating the website and the menus, and I work some shifts when I visit home while most people are vacationing for the holidays. Read More>>

Philip Samuelraj

From my maternal grandfather, Chelliah. He moved to my hometown of Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu, India with nothing and worked incredibly hard to provide a good life for my mom and her siblings. He lived the life of a provider and hardly spent on himself. Growing up, I saw him work 20-hour days across his various businesses, which launched the careers of hundreds of other people in Coimbatore.  Read More>>

Rosaly Didonna

My work ethic definitely comes from my parents. My parents are both Filipino immigrants who worked tirelessly to provide for my siblings and I. They both never missed a day of work and on the same note, I never missed a day of school. Seeing their hard work, made me want to work hard for myself as well. At one point, I was working three jobs during college to pay for anything I needed and to pay my tuition.  Read More>>

Ladiinova

My parents for sure. Those are two people in my life that’s always kept a job. Even in their down time they are still working and doing things. They refuse to sit down. Read More>>

Nathaniel Freson

I feel like my work ethic definitely comes from a mixture of my background playing sports, the passion that I have for art, and the overall mindset about creating that I developed over the years. Playing soccer at a competitive level really taught me discipline, resilience, and most importantly, the importance of putting in the work even when no one is watching.  Read More>>

Vanessa Kuns

I owe my work ethic entirely to my parents. My dad ran a landscaping business, and he treated every customer like family—going above and beyond with integrity at the core of his service. My mom, an Executive Assistant in a corporate office, showed me the power of being resourceful, supportive, and committed to excellence. Read More>>

 Kristi Brown

My work ethic has origins that may not be what you expect. It wasn’t born from growing up without or from having a mentor that inspired me. In fact, my hunger and drive for success came from my struggle with perfectionism and the constant pressure to fulfill societal expectations—to be the perfect daughter, the perfect woman, and an example for others in an era that pushed young girls to dream big, do more, and be more. Read More>>

Ryan Smith

I grew up outside of Chicago, went to college in Iowa City, and graduate school in Kansas City, so lots of time in the Midwest cutting my teeth as a musician.

I remember noticing that all of the teachers and musicians I looked up to always had something going on, they were always learning something new, booking gigs, or staying busy with something as professionals.  Read More>>

Sean Aaberg

I came up in the International DIY Punk scene. The ethos, or more vulgarly the politics implied that you’ve only got one shot in life & things aren’t going to change if you don’t do it yourself. The whole scene was comprised of people that were not going to come together unless it was to see some band & get messed up, or drink free beer so doing things really fell onto the individual

Monique Brissett

I come from a unique background—first-generation Jamaican parents who moved to the United States at a young age, driven by the need to succeed and build a better future. Being raised in an environment where hard work and resilience were non-negotiable, I was instilled with a strong sense of independence from a young age.  Read More>>

Rachel Sitarz

I believe that my strong work ethic was developed from my parents. Growing up I saw them do whatever they needed to support me and my goals. They also have supported any big goal, no matter how lofty, and believed in me. This gave me great confidence, but they also made me understand that the goals are not just handed to me. That I have to work hard for these. Read More>>

Monte Mcneal

I was always told at the beginning of my career “stay ready so u dnt have to get ready” and it stuck with me til this day. I always have more then enough songs when people ask…more then enough songs when it comes to an album or mixtape. Beats and etc I just stay ready so when any opportunity arises im prepared and ready for it Read More>>

Srujana Achyutuni

Honestly, it’s a funny story. Growing up, my mom was always pushing me and my brother, and she was really strict about making sure we finished our homework on time, studied properly, and got good grades. At the time, I used to get a little frustrated with her because it felt like she was being too hard on us. Read More>>

Gianna Quick

I credit my strong work ethic to my parents, who instilled in me the values of hard work, dedication, and perseverance from an early age. They made sure I understood that success doesn’t come easy—it takes commitment, resilience, and the willingness to push forward even when things get tough. Read More>>

Ridge Dawson

I’ve always been inspired by my parents’ unwavering work ethic. Both of them have always been incredibly dedicated to their jobs, putting in long hours and giving their best effort, no matter what. Watching them work with such commitment and passion taught me the value of hard work and discipline from a young age.  Read More>>

Brenann Stacker

I inherited curiosity and a love for learning from my parents. Both are important pieces of my work ethic. I constantly want to learn more and find all the ways I can grow through the opportunities I’m given. The most frustratingly beautiful thing about being an artist is there is never an end result. You never “make it.” There is always more. Read More>>

Tracy Raetz

My work ethic definitely comes from my parents. Growing up, I always saw them working extremely hard to provide for me. My dad was a commercial photographer for years, and as that industry declined he had to pivot to home improvement and repair work for work. Read More>>

Jhunry Arquion

I get my work ethic from my parents, who taught me the value of hard work and perseverance. I’m lucky to have a strong support system from my husband, family and friends, which has been a big help in pursuing my passion as an event decorator. Their encouragement keeps me motivated to do my best in every design I create. Read More>>

Claudia Chicas

Where do I get my work ethic from? As a first-generation Salvadoran American, I strive to honor my parents’ sacrifices by making everything they endured worthwhile. Growing up I watched them work three jobs to keep a roof over our heads and provide for us, all in the hope that I could have a better future. Their resilience and dedication set a powerful example of what it means to have a strong work ethic. Read More>>

Aileen Henry Abatecola

Growing up, my parents made sure to emphasize the importance of responsibility and putting in work for the things we wanted. We never had things just handed to us, we had to earn them. As a kid this was sometimes frustrating, especially when it felt that others around me were just getting things handed.  Read More>>

Marz Garcia

My work ethic comes from two main sources. First, I am the child of immigrants who came here with nothing to build a better life. That deeply motivates me. Second, after college, I read and listened to a lot of Tim Ferriss, Ramit Sethi, and Tony Robbins. Their insights helped me understand the science and psychology of productivity, further enhancing my work ethic. Read More>>

Refinement Wagner

Growing up in a hippie commune might not be where you’d expect someone to develop a strong work ethic—but you’d be wrong. Watching my parents struggle to provide for us after devoting their time to the commune was one of the most inspiring experiences of my life. Read More>>

George Pertesis

My grandfather on my father’s side immigrated to the U.S in the 1950s during the Great Depression that hit Greece after World War II. Without many opportunities present, he built himself great businesses with lots of hard work and determination. He instilled those hard work ethic values to my father who presented me with opportunities to go to college, partner up with him in real estate, and open our current business, Truly Greek in Norwalk.  Read More>>

Giuliana Germani

My family. I come from a family that chased the American dream. It wasn’t just the success they found—though that was inspiring—but how they achieved it: through an unyielding work ethic, grit, and a belief in the value of hard work. Read More>>

Jennifer Loomis

From Rags to Riches and Back Again: A Lesson in Resilience

I am the daughter of an immigrant who arrived in this country alone, without a high school degree. In the U.S., she met a well-off American man, and together they had two children. Then, life took a sad turn—he declared bankruptcy and left her with nothing but the responsibility of raising us. He barely paid child support, and she was unemployed. Read More>>

Carrie Mackey

I feel being an athlete definitely plays a huge role in developing a strong work ethic! The training, discipline, and constant push for improvement that come with sports can set the foundation for a solid work ethic. When you’re an athlete, you’re often taught from a young age that success requires consistent effort, perseverance, and the ability to overcome challenges.  Read More>>

Bébé Adebiyi

Loaded question- I think it has a lot to do with how I was raised back home in Haiti and it’s one of the stereotypes that happens to be true for us, is that we’re hard workers. I mean we were the first country to ever successfully take our own independence during the evil times that was slavery. All to say I think my ancestors rubbed off on me quite intensely in that area. Read More>>