Where do you get your work ethic from?

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.

Raven Babicky

Oh man that is a loaded question. Work ethic is one of those things that is sadly becomming less and less talked about. We grew up with nothing coming to be unless you made it. Life is full of the “little guys” and all of us have to make sure we are busting our butts to get things accomplished. With little kiddos looking at us as we do so, that task grows larger everyday. Read more>>

Russ Clapp

My father. Growing up, my father worked rotating shifts at a paper mill. In his 36 years of working there, he never missed a day. He always went. Sick or not. He was never late either. He was one of those if you’re on time, you’re already 5 minutes late type of people. This was my normal. For good or bad, I was the same way. In my early years I was the same way. Be it sickness, family emergencies, children’s activities, I never missed a day of work.  Read more>>

Diane Nacouzi

Hi, I’m Diane Nacouzi. I’m the owner of Ayoola Braiding Bar in Santa Barbara California.
In my childhood, my parents made clear that if you want to succeed, you have to work hard . My parents value hard work , they taught me that work consistently, punctuality, honestly, professionalism always pay off . I was raised this way , you can’t have anything easy , you have to work hard for and it’s help me a lot today to be consistent and to be very productive. I must thank my parents as they showed me how work hard pay off . Read more>>

Forbs West

I got my strong work ethic from both of my parents. They are true go-getters that I’ve looked up to. Their drive is definitely engrained within my DNA. My great-grandfather immigrated to this country working for a small firm before launching his own. My grandfather founded his own autoparts store in Chicago and my dad started his own corporate communications firm. My mom has been very intellectually driven and has been an educator for high school and college students for a few decades. Read more>>

Adnan Nasser

Early in my childhood, my father, Moustafa (Steve) Nasser, instilled in me the value of hard work and the importance of performing tasks within a reasonable timeframe. He is a living example of discipline and someone who never procrastinating on any major task.
Now, at the age of 70, he continues to operate his aviation inventory company in Miami, a testament to his unwavering dedication. The man has over 40 years of experience in the field of aviation. Working alongside him while pursuing my own careers in journalism and real estate investing has been invaluable.  Read more>>

Tamika Caldwell

Strangely enough, my strong work ethic came from all of my failures, and they were many. I guess we should start from the beginning..haha
My father was a very successful business owner and ex Pro football player (he played for the Denver Broncos).
My mother worked for the DOD (department of defense), so she was a civilian who worked for the Army. Read more>>

Gustavo Gutierrez

As an immigrant who came to the United States at just four years old from Zacatecas, Mexico, my early experiences were profoundly shaped by my father’s relentless work ethic and dedication. He worked tirelessly in agriculture and construction jobs, taking on grueling responsibilities to provide for our family of five children and my mother. His unwavering commitment to ensuring we had what we needed, despite the long hours and physically demanding labor, left a lasting impression on me. Watching my father work so hard to support us instilled in me the belief that hard work is not just a necessity but a duty — one that reflects love, sacrifice, and responsibility. Read more>>

Harrison Tran

My work ethic comes from my parents and my swimming career. My parent came over to America as war refugees in 1975 and had to earn everything. They imparted this discipline into my lifestyle from a young age. Read more>>

Uno Kim

Before starting, there is a motivational mantra that can perfectly describe where my work ethic comes from, which is “Effort never betrays you.”
When I first started working in New York City as a Tattoo Artist, I remember that in order to build myself up and create a good reputation, I needed to put in a lot of effort into everything. From giving myself tight deadlines, waking up early to be the first one to get walk-in appointments and being the last one to leave and interacting a lot with clients and building a good and lasting relationship with them. Read more>>

Alex Nourian

My strong work ethic comes from a combination of my background and personal experiences. My parents are immigrants from Iran, and fled their homeland at a young age to escape persecution. Because of this, I was brought up with an appreciation for the endless opportunities present in America, and they taught me the value of hard work and perseverance as essential tools for success. Read more>>

Wootzability

For me it’s obvious that I get my work ethic from my mom. Raising three kids by herself while being self employed, yea, she didn’t sit much or at all really. Not to mention throughout all my childhood she would look out for others. Always providing, keeping us thriving. Long story short she’s a hero in many ways. Figuring out how to accommodate all of me and my siblings passions and go above and beyond? That takes work. Running your own business? Yea, that takes WORK. Helping people, taking people in, takes HEART. Read more>>

Sarah Clayton

I have always had a strong work ethic and I have always had to work for the things I wanted in life, nothing was ever handed to me. I realized at a young age that I could make things happen for myself if I put my efforts into the right things. I carried that with me into my adult life. One thing I believe strongly is that we all have the power to change our situation-no matter what cards we were dealt. If you don’t like something about your life or your work, then make different decisions. We have so many opportunities to change things in this day and age. With all the information available to us via the internet, we can learn how to do anything. It’s really so exciting when you think about it that way! But you have to be willing to do the work! Read more>>

Jessica Ginsberg

Music! I started taking piano lessons as a five-year-old. I had natural talent, so the first few years of lessons were pretty easy for me. After a couple of years, talent was not enough and things began to get difficult. I learned at a young age that I need to put time each day into the things I care about and that frustration is an inevitable part of growth. I was able to transfer my practice habits into study habits at school, and then later into my business. Read more>>

Mike Munter

I thought a lot about nature versus nurture. I believe nature accounts for 75% of who we are. So I would have to say that my work ethic is something I was born with. I am driven to succeed at whatever I am interested in. However, my parents, definitely contributed. My mom, in particular, held me to a high standard. She expected good grades. She expected me to do well in school. My dad also encouraged me to apply myself and to not quit. Read more>>

Sarah Calzada

As a full-time artist, the foundation of my work ethic comes from a deep passion for creating and a commitment to continuous growth. I am constantly experimenting with new techniques, exploring different themes, and challenging my usual creative process. Each of these experiences is an opportunity to discover unexpected strengths or highlight areas where I need to improve, which naturally leads me down a continuous path of self-discovery. Commitment to continuous growth allows me to reflect on what drives me, what inspires me, and what messages I want to convey through my work. Read more>>

Eve Tiday

My work ethic stems from a desire to accomplish meaningful work for myself and other’s sake. The basis of this mindset arose while I was growing up in the Bay Area, California. I pursued drawing as a skill because I could use it to communicate ideas that impacted me. Out of all the subjects I learned in school, I felt art showed the most tangible progress, which motivated me to continue studying it. Read more>>

Sara Sokol

I started taking ballet classes when I was three years old. For as long as I can remember, I wanted to be a professional ballerina.
By the time I was 10 years old, I was taking classes five days a week on a full scholarship at the local ballet studio, where I studied. I knew that if I wanted to become a professional dancer, and I did, that I’d have to work as hard as I possibly could. See, I didn’t have a lot of natural ability and talent; My feet weren’t very “archie”, I wasn’t super flexible, and my legs didn’t hyperextend the way that it dancer’s legs are supposed to to get the lines that they want. Read more>>

Areej Askar

My work ethic stems from my passion for the art of makeup, a commitment to constantly learning new skill’s, and a dedication to ensuring clients feel confident. Not a lot of people get to say they get paid to do what they love, I’m lucky enough to say that about makeup. I get to meet so many amazing people everyday who keep my passion ignited. Read more>>

Joseph Handy

I get my work ethic from my parents. My dad worked three times at one point during my childhood to make sure that my family was taken care of. He always did what it took to make sure that we had what we needed and a little of what we wanted. My mother had an entrepreneurial spirit and she always had some kind of side business going. That instilled Within Me a need to create my own business. Read more>>

Rondré “key” Brooks

My strong work ethic stems from a place of scarcity. Without access to resources, connections, or financial backing, I was driven to create my own opportunities. Working multiple dead-end jobs, I’d often observe the decision-makers at the top, discussing the company’s future, and I knew I had the intellect and potential to be in their shoes. However, the lack of opportunities forced me to take matters into my own hands. Read more>>

Tiffany Swinton

The work ethic I have was instilled in me by the women in my family. They were all self-made women who pushed boundaries. My grandmother owned a beauty salon, my mother ran a catering business, my sister received her doctoral degree, and my aunt co-founded a luxury camping business. I’ve witnessed their growth and resilience throughout their entrepreneurial journeys and goals. The women in my circle continue to thrive in all aspects of their lives and motivate me to do the same. Read more>>

Carol Baxter

My work ethic came from Jean who was never too tired to go and give her blind friends a perm, pack ten kids in the station wagon to go to the zoo, care for her roses, bake the best trays of rolls for gatherings, innovatively replace our carpet, work as a restaurant hostess in the evening and then spend all night as a live-in caregiver. My ethics also came from Jarvis, a meticulous mechanic who seemed to be able to fix anything, a World War II veteran who played the harmonica and wrote poetry.  Read more>>

Manny Garcia Dj

My work ethic is rooted in the example set by my parents. Growing up, my dad juggled two jobs for years, while my mom also worked to ensure my brother and I had everything we needed. Witnessing their sacrifices and dedication left a lasting impact on me. Today, I carry that same drive into my own career, balancing a full-time job as an IT Manager with running my event production company. The days can be long, but whenever I feel the strain, I think back to the hard work my parents put in, and it keeps me going. Read more>>

Bastian Orellana-auri

Coming from a refugee family, work is the only thing that has pushed us forward in life. I’ve learned at a young age, that if you want something in life, you have to work for it. Like many, we were never given anything, which is the reason why I like taking any work problems and solving them. No matter the situation or position, my work ethic has always helped me open more doors and opportunities. Read more>>

Stephan Gaudreau

In my opinion, work ethic is not something that can be taught. It comes from a passion, a fire inside and a drive to be the best one can be! When I am doing what I love there is no limit to how long I will work at it until I am satisfied. I want to be proud of what I do and what I create and unless I am 1000% satisfied, I can’t expect others to be. Read more>>

Travis & Stephanie Martin

My husband and I were both small town farm kids that were taught from a very young age that nothing was ever handed to you. The only way you would get through life was through hard work and perseverance. We helped on our family farms by feeding animals, harvesting, hauling hay, and doing day to day chores. Nothing came for free. We saw failure at times when livestock died or crops failed and that taught us to persevere, but we also saw success when things went right. Read more>>

Dr. Darryln Brice

My work ethic comes from my parents. They have been workaholics most of my life but made some adjustments when needed for family trips. I grew up watching my mom go to work every day, even when she was sick, to ensure she gave quality work. My dad would work days at a time overseas, then come home for two months, and he would be ready to jump right back into it. Read more>>

Lorenzo Leyva

I believe I get it most from my mother. Looking back, I think I modeled a lot of myself after my mom. She raised me, but she also was a hardworking woman who never stopped growing in her career. My mom never really stopped at all. What I mean by that is that she not only worked in her job, she also worked in our community, was active in keeping up with her friend groups and our family, worked with several non-profits of all kinds, and volunteered and helped as much as she could. Read more>>

Ari Zaritsky

Since I was a child, persistence was something that had developed very early. It was when I began playing video games, one of the first ones I ever played was called “Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of The Were-Rabbit”. There was a mini game section where I kept failing, I don’t recall the specifics of the game as it was over 10 years ago but all I remember was that I kept trying and trying and trying until eventually I completed it.  Read more>>

Adelle Mccormick

I have always had big goals for myself, but never had anything handed to me. In the world of volleyball, it is very competitive. The top teams from the top clubs typically have players that have been playing at top clubs from a very young age. Also, most of these players have been getting private lessons with top coaches for about as long. I didn’t start playing volleyball until I was 12. I was asked to play on a rec. team by a friend and I quickly found my passion. I lived in a smaller town in North Texas, called Wichita Falls at the time. Read more>>

Matt Stapleford

My work ethic comes from a combination of my upbringing and personal experiences. Growing up, I watched my parents work tirelessly to provide for our family, and they instilled in me the values of hard work, perseverance, and responsibility. Over time, I’ve also developed a strong sense of purpose and passion for what I do, which motivates me to give my best effort every day. Read more>>

Elaine Douglas-Harrison

I’ve never been asked this question before, but I chose it over the others because my children have a wonderful work ethic and I believe they would say they got it from me. My work ethic could originate from my Jamaican parents. My father was the headmaster of a primary school in the country, and my mother was his second. He also planted bananas and yams and sold them to the higglers who took them to market – at one time we even had a boxing plant for exporting the bananas. Read more>>

Saige Lenzmeier

I would say I get my work ethic from a few different areas in my life. The biggest being, I don’t feel stimulated doing day to day jobs or tasks. I like to be creatively challenged. I struggle to work in a consistent work routine. I also don’t have many ambitions in life outside of creating art so I need to prioritize creating for work. Read more>>