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.
Kevin Bongang
My drive to stay creative is part of my existence, it is what keeps me excited about the future, knowing they are no limits in Art. I strive to explore and develop more interesting ways to express myself every time I paint or doodle, it is something I do everyday. I believe it is the only way to evolve as an artist or in anything you choose to pursue in life. Read more>>
Ariel Kochbarski
My work ethic comes from both my parents. My father was a bakery union driver for Entemann’s and my mother was a mental health nurse. We lived in an affluent part of NJ and as my parents divorced when I was 4 years old, we had a split househould. Each of my parents strived to give me a life that allowed me to do as much as possible next to the rich kids I grew up around but inevitably it wasn’t enough. Read more>>
Chef Wic
My strong work ethic is deeply rooted in my upbringing. My grandfather, who was an entrepreneur, played a significant role in shaping my work ethic. At the young age of 9, I eagerly assisted him with tasks like painting, which ignited my work ethic from an early age. Read more>>
Jazzlyn Johnson
I developed my work ethic from the age of 14yrs old. My first job was at the Big Kmart. I gained knowledge through who I was surrounded by growing up. I had a lot of lawyers, teachers, and positive influence in the working class field. I had already had a taste for entrepreneurship. I work with the same mindset as a representative for my own business. Read more>>
Shaun Swearengen
I wholeheartedly attribute my success, determination, work ethic & hard work to my mother Venita Swearengen Butler, At a young age my mother told me NEVER be afraid of hard work. Nothing worthwhile comes easily. Don’t let others discourage you or tell you that you can’t do it. Read more>>
“Super” Dave Quinn, CEcD
My work ethic was a gift from my dad. Raised in rural northeast Texas by a father born in the depression, work is what I grew up doing. From a very, very early age, I learned how to work and how to love the sense of accomplishment that came from a good day’s work. Read more>>
Katja Lauterbach
In the world of interior design, punctuality and unwavering dedication are qualities that set apart the exceptional designers from the rest. Born and raised in Germany I am known for always being on time, working diligently, and playing with equal enthusiasm. Read more>>
Sys Tim
My mother’s side of the family were farmers and they work hard and do what you has to get done. Both my parents, though in different careers demonstrated that too. That when you set out to do a task or a job, you do it right and you work to get it done. Read more>>
Leonard Robinson
I gained my work ethic my parents. My father was always a hard worked and great provider. He grew humble and had to begin working at a young age to help provide for his father and siblings as he was the oldest in his family. He left high school to work in the family farm to support the family, He joined the Army and served several years in World War II and brought with him the same discipline of the military that he attained while there. Read more>>
Nick Audy
I derive my work ethic from my father, who is unquestionably the most hard working individual I know. At 77 years old, he remains diligently engaged in his work, perhaps even more so than in his younger years. Despite his early wake-up and late working hours, he never voices complaints. His unwavering commitment has been a profound source of inspiration, motivating me to emulate his remarkable dedication. Read more>>
Winnie Mzembe
My work ethic as an actor comes from a deep passion for the craft, the competitive nature of the industry, the guidance of mentors, and the unpredictable demands of the profession. Read more>>
Shemera Sinkfield
It comes from my family. My grandparents, my parents, along with other influential beings that played a major part in my life that helped instill the mindset of great work ethic and hard work. My sisters and I were raised to do EVERYTHING (no matter how large or small) to the best of our ability. Read more>>
Shante Rubin
My work ethic came from my parents. They taught me how to set goals, be proactive and persist until I reached my goals. I watched my parents sacrifice their time and even their health to ensure that my siblings and I had everything that we needed. Read more>>
Tulsi Chaturvedi
A peek into my childhood- Life lessons are valuable, life lessons from your parents are pure gold. I consider myself lucky because not only did I grow up in a beautiful University town with multi-diverse cultures and background, I grew up in a family with great parents at the helm. What made them great? Well, everything! My parents, Maa, and Papa are both deceased now. Read more>>
Keith Springfield
My work ethic comes from growing up in a small town without many options for a job as a student. I had to come up with my own ideas to make some spending money. My father had an old welder, so at 14 I wanted to learn to weld. I was intimidated and had to learn as I went and finally made a box trap for catching animals. Read more>>
Lindsey Wilson
I owe it to my parents. I have a mom and a dad who both always maintain high levels or productivity and always kept me on my toes and busy growing up. Weekends always involved chores and yard work. My mom was the master cleaner, organizer, decorator, gardener, and cooked dinner every night, while my dad did landscaping, home renovation projects, and built furniture in his time off from work. Read more>>
Kimiko Chong
I’ve learned from the consequences of my actions. In the trading business, there’s no supervisor to guide you on what’s right or wrong, what’s off-limits or acceptable. It’s all based on personal judgment as a business owner. If you want to be a shark, be a shark. Read more>>
Porsche Teair Washington
I definitely get my work ethic from my grandparents Walter and Rebecca Simpson. Although, neither one is here physically the foundation of teaching me the importance of work still stands. I grew up mostly with my grandparents who were both entrepreneurs (before I understood with that was lol) they both own several businesses over the years with me growing up. Read more>>
Aisha Maness
I had to LEARN “work ethic”. Growing up I wasn’t around a lot of discipline, ambition or drive. As an entrepreneur you need those things and you have to be a self starter, It took me a while to get my rhythm. I heard someone say that ” you have to learn to show up for you yourself. Read more>>
Gia Huynh
My strong work ethic is deeply rooted in the values instilled by my parents while I was growing up in Vietnam, despite our modest circumstances. They imparted the invaluable lesson that one must diligently work for both necessities and aspirations. These teachings continue to shape my character to this very day and I hope to pass that along to my son. Read more>>
Dan Navarro
As a kid, I knew I was smart, and a lot came easily to me. But I was also raised in a challenging environment, with a father who was loving but hard to please, and peers who were relentlessly unkind. So my confidence suffered. Read more>>
Lisa Jordan
From my mother. She was a single mother raising 3 children. She worked two jobs all the time to support us, and she refused any type of government assistance. Read more>>
JaBrittny Harrison
I get my work ethic from my Mother. My mother has always been such a hard worker. Watching her struggles as a single parent and seeing everything she went through really pushed me to work hard to be the best that i can be. It pushed me to follow my dreams and really go for things that I want. Read more>>
Matt Kovacs
I owe my strong work ethic to the invaluable lessons instilled in me by my parents who were both teachers and true Pittsburghers. They exemplified unwavering dedication, perseverance, and a deep sense of responsibility in their own professional pursuits, which left an indelible mark on me. Read more>>
Rebecca Bruff
I’m glad you asked this question, as I’ve been thinking about it a lot lately. My parents were both great role models in many arenas, and particularly in work. They built a business, basically beginning in a garage, and it emerged to be a significant company in it’s industry. Read more>>
Rachel DesRochers
I dedicate this to my mom. She passed in 2020 from early onset Alzheimers and even sick she didn’t slow down. She taught me that anything is possible but kindness and hard work is what makes it possible. I think there’s a fine line in entrepreneurship of overworking, being tasked with all the roles and responsibilities. Read more>>
Stephanie Rose Solomon
My heart is deeply touched by my mother’s incredible journey from Peru to a new country with only $500 and Spanish as her first language. Witnessing her determination to learn English from scratch and overcome the immense challenges faced by people from other countries has made me acutely aware of the hardships they endure in their pursuit of success. It is not an easy path, as they must navigate unfamiliar territories and overcome cultural barriers. Read more>>
Bryan Ramirez
I got my work ethic from my family. Both of my parents grew up as migrant farm workers. Their families moved around, following the crops, doing back breaking working for nothing wages but making a living and a life for their family nonetheless. My parents worked for everything they gave us growing up, from a roof over our heads, to eventually our own bedrooms which they never had growing up. Read more>>
Chris Smith
I got my work ethic both from my parents being very disciplined and tough. I would also say having an athletic upbringing plain sports forced some great discipline and sense of teamwork on me. Football in wrestling and all that stuff. Read more>>
Gina Luiz
My work ethics started when I was a child. Being born to a single immigrant mother allowed me to see first hand what “strong work ethics” looked like. My mother picked up multiple side jobs in order to make a living while being a present mother. As I got older, I always felt the need to work hard in order to make my mothers sacrifices worth it. I got my first job at the age of 14 and continued to work until now, at the age of 29. Read more>>
Kelly Marsh
Both of my parents grew up in the Great Depression, and both of their families were dirt poor. Because of this, they raised us 5 kids to become self-sufficient. At the start of the summer between my junior and senior year of high school, they told me I had to go find a job. So I got my first job at the new Wendy’s fast food restaurant that opened close to home. Read more>>
James Randall
My work ethic was developed very early, as I am the son of an immigrant who wanted her son to be a doctor. I always excelled in school because I came home to a disciplined house that demanded homework be finished before anything else could be done. I always loved reading which made that easy. Read more>>
Vincent Alberico
My work ethic is deeply rooted in my upbringing, early entrepreneurial experiences, and my unwavering commitment to martial arts. These aspects have shaped my character and molded my approach to life, instilling in me a relentless determination to overcome challenges and pursue excellence. At the heart of my work ethic is the profound influence of my single mother. Read more>>
Heather Fay
I’ve perpetuate my work ethic by always maintaining focus on the bigger picture and bigger goal in mind. That way no matter how many times I have to regroup, start over, or change course throughout the process, I can remain on track no matter the detour. This “zoom in and zoom out” mentality has allowed me to focus on each micro step while being able to simultaneously take a step back and make the proper executive decisions along the way to ensure a successful finished product. Read more>>
James Acampora
My father is a deli clerk, and my mother was a house cleaner. Both parents held no degrees. Both worked long hours and made cash only. When I was with them at work I was expected to help in some way, however watching them work had a bigger impact on me. Read more>>
Lauren Zeek
I simply love what I do! The benefits of running a small business are not lost on me. The journey to small business owner has been one God placed on my life. From teacher to small business owner and mom. I work hard because it means I get to spend more time with the people I love the most. Read more>>
Dylan Rogers
I would say my work ethic comes from my passion. My passion to always be creating something new. I have more trouble finding time to sit work down than I do to get work done, and that’s because I love my work. Read more>>
Jadé Bailey
Work ethic is the ability to work toward a desired goal with the use of passion, dedication, collaboration and productivity. How this is developed is solely based on your own values, experiences and goals. I truly believe environmental factors are a major factor in the development of work ethic. Read more>>
Kyle Derosiers
My dad (David Derosiers) has always had multiple jobs when he could work. On top of his jobs, he’d also come home and do work around the house. He’d always ask me to help and then eventually he ended up giving me an allowance! He showed me work ethic by having a good work ethic. Read more>>
Jessica Jones
I would say I got my work ethic from both my parents. My dad worked extremely hard to provide for my siblings and me. After he had a stroke, my mother stepped in to help with bills, etc. I remember when I didn’t get the Tennessee Hope Scholarship my sophomore year of college. Read more>>
Yasmine Gadsden
My work ethic comes from my childhood and the influence of my parents. I am the second oldest of 6 children and the only daughter, which forced me into a lot of responsibility at an early age . I grew up being a second mom to my brothers; cooking, cleaning up after them, and helping with homework. I’ve watched my parents work and overcome struggle by any means necessary. Read more>>
Kendall Gary
I must credit my work ethic to my parents. I grew up watching both of my parents work hard: my father in the corporate world and my mother at home. They both worked hard providing for the family and maintaining the home we lived in. They were a team in all aspects so that also showed me how working with people, as a team, helps you to succeed. Read more>>
Avonne Bogan
My work ethic is deeply rooted in the values instilled in me by my parents and the experiences that have shaped my life. My parents taught me the importance of dedication, perseverance, and the value of hard work from a young age. They led by example, working tirelessly to provide for our family, and always encouraged me to put in my best effort in everything I do. Read more>>
Ronald Ayala
I think a big portion of my work ethic comes from my mother’s influence. As I child, I watched her work around the clock to provide for my sister and I. I was really inspired by her ability to stay focused on her career and goals, while raising two young children. She’s always pushed me to never give up on my dreams and has always encouraged me to be the best I can. Read more>>
Raymond & Jay Yaptinchay & Tugas
Our work ethic is deeply rooted in our personal values and upbringing. Growing up, We witnessed the dedication and perseverance of our parents, who worked tirelessly to provide for our family. Their strong work ethic served as a constant inspiration, teaching me the importance of hard work, commitment, and determination. Read more>>
