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.

Emani Figaro

My work ethic comes from my parents, both of whom have profoundly shaped who I am today. My mother, the only girl out of three boys from Englewood, Chicago, and my father, an immigrant from Trinidad and Tobago who worked as a trade contractor, instilled in me the values of hard work, determination, integrity, and persistence. I was always expected to try my best, which laid a strong foundation for my professional journey. Read more>>

Phyllis Caddell

When I think about my work ethic, I realize it stems from my upbringing and my early experiences in both the creative and corporate worlds. Growing up in Los Angeles, I was surrounded by incredible influences. My mom was a legal negotiator while my dad worked as an entertainment manager and promoter. This blend of backgrounds gave me a front-row seat to different professional environments at an early age. Read more>>

Stephen Mannina

My work ethic is deeply influenced by my family and my personal journey. Living a sober lifestyle has taught me the importance of discipline and focus, and photography has been a crucial part of that journey. It helps me stay grounded and provides a creative outlet. My wife, Lyndsey, and our four children—ages 16, 13, 3, and 2—are my biggest motivators. Their support and love drive me to work hard every day. Read more>>

Meg O’leary

From my parents and my upbringing. I grew up in a working class home with 4 siblings. My mom was a stay at home mom and my father the sole provider. He worked his way up a tradesman job to being a Director of Facilities at a university. I don’t think I realized it then, but looking back now the commitment and effort my dad put forth each day was a big influence in my upbringing. As young as 10 years old I was “working” not always for compensation but for experience. I loved horses growing up and if you don’t know it’s an expensive sport! Coming from a large family it was cost-prohibitive so I worked at the barn cleaning stalls, feeding the horses, helping with maintenance in exchange for lessons and opportunities to ride.  Read more>>

Irene Sparks

My strong work ethic was instilled in me at a very young age by both of my parents. From childhood, chores were a non-negotiable part of daily life. Before any fun activities, whether playing with friends or watching TV, and sometimes even before breakfast, my brother and I had to complete our morning chores. This included making our beds, vacuuming and mopping the floors, and washing and folding clothes. Saturdays followed this routine, and as we worked, breakfast would be prepared. My mom made sure we began each day with prayer before diving into our responsibilities. Read more>>

Cambree Doll

I’m a hustler by nature and have always been a focused driven person even when I was a child. I’ve always been dedicated to the things I love. A huge part of that comes from dance, specifically ballet. The discipline that ballet requires from you, if you want to truly be good at it, is similar if not harder than that of professional athletes. I started taking ballet serious at the age of 9 so that level of work ethic was instilled in me from a really young age. I dont have the typical ballet body type so I had to work extra hard to be able to get into the conservatories I wanted to attend when I was older.  Read more>>

Brian Hirdman

Work ethic is an intriguing concept to me, something I’ve embraced as an integral part of who I am. I’ve learned not to judge others based on their work habits but rather appreciate our unique journeys.  Growing up with separated parents gave me two incredible sources of masculine influence. My father, Bill, is a craftsman. I watched him build custom homes alongside exceptional artisans, construct high-rises in the San Francisco Bay Area, and transition into home inspections as his body bore the marks of hard work. His Nordic heritage has gifted me with strength and a love for craftsmanship. On the other hand, my stepfather, Billy, was my spiritual guide and a self-made entrepreneur who transitioned from musician to tech guru to wedding DJ. Read more>>

Michael Barton

An easy answer to where did I obtain my work ethic would be saying “i got it from my parents” but that does little to explain the root of it al. Growing up in a biracial household with different cultural backgrounds & traditions. You find the common denominator of “a full days work” mentality.
Mi mamá es de Guayaquil Ecuador, immigrating after high school to New York where learning a second language on top of working factory hours which became her first real hurdles upon coming here. Her journey took her from the east coast, to the Midwest and down to Southern California. All Along the way climbing up through whatever company she worked for. Read more>>

Darinesha Anntoinette Johnson

I love this question, I would have to say it goes back to my childhood. Growing up I watched my parents lead a pretty busy life when it came to their careers paths. My mother was a RN and sometimes worked 12 hour days, I would just remember how hard she worked she always was able to reward herself for her hard work at the job. My Father was a carpenter, he built houses. He was the ultimate entrepreneur, from drawing out his blueprints of the homes, to helping him put a ceiling fan into the ceiling. I was always right beside him while my mother was working at her full time job.
Fast forward to my life now, I love to earn what I have. I believe anything good that comes in life you have to work for it. It might not be easy but it’s rewarding! Read more>>

Dr. Tish Summers

I oftentimes am asked where do I find the time, strength or insight to have such a stellar work ethic. I would honestly say that my work ethic comes from my parents, Mr Theophilus & Mrs Bedelhia Ferguson. I would also give credit to both of my grandmothers, Dorothy V.Hauser, and Juanita C Bacon who instilled the importance of hard work, diligence, consistency and persistence in any endeavor that you are passionate about. Time management and maintaining focus in spite of the day to day obstacles that you may incur is imperative to excel and succeed in attaining your goals. Read more>>

Demitris Maddox

My work ethic comes from my mother, hands down. From as far back as I can remember, she’s been the strongest person I know. Growing up, we didn’t have much, but she filled our essentially empty house with so much love, happiness, and joy. We didn’t have a car, so we walked everywhere. I didn’t see it as lacking; it was just what we did. Read more>>

Emily Loewen

I get it from both my upbringing and also my past career in the corporate world. My dad was a business owner and worked in construction so I watched him work long hours and weekends to make sure a client was happy and a project was finished in a timely manner. He passed away a few years ago from a battle with Cancer, but he had such a strong work ethic that he was working up until the day his body just couldn’t handle it anymore. My mom is a high school teacher and she also is one of the hardest working people I know. She has always been the one that volunteered for all the extra responsibilities at the school, and taught night school as well because she wanted to help more students. Read more>>

Zak Mbereko

Close your eyes and imagine being 8 years old. You’ve just been cut from a sports team, audition, whatever applies to you, being young that event was probably accompanied by tears, anger, confusion, etc. Being in that moment was the turning point for me. I grew up in a family that had achieved a lot of cool things (to me) and with that, I put a lot of high expectations on myself. I of course wanted to be like those in my family and the moment that I was truly crushed turned in a moment that led to hours of work and time on myself. Learning to push myself and devote myself to the goals that I had. I was luckily mentored by my parents and those around me but really it took that moment of failure to learn that if I can work hard enough I will make something out of a situation that previously, well, sucked. Read more>>

Ken’ja Pharr

My work ethic honestly came from losing a parent early on. This has created me to become hyper independent. With becoming hyper independent and understanding that life is short I gained a belief that you should make the best of your everyday life because each day is an opportunity to strive to become better. You truly learn something new about self and life if you take full advantage of your 24 hours god has placed in a day. I first started making money for myself in middle school. Before I started making money in middle school I started out in my city corners selling waters. I was the kid growing up that was always different and ambitious.  Read more>>

Julia Olynyk

Growing up in a home where both of my parents were middle school music teachers, I quickly learned about work ethic. Whether racing out to early morning jazz band rehearsals, setting up hundreds of chairs for concerts, or performing as professional musicians around Omaha – they were constantly working. Read more>>

Dana Mcknight

Growing up in a working-class family, I was taught the importance of hard work and self-reliance from the start. My parents always reminded me, “No one’s going to save you—you have to save yourself.” That mindset drove me to constantly want more for myself, never settling for the bare minimum. I’ve always been driven by this idea of wanting more, so I leaned into that belief. This mentality shaped how I approach every challenge. Read more>>

Audra Bartlett

I grew up in a lower middle class family in upstate New York. Hard work was very much a way of life, perhaps even in my blood. Both of my parents are entrepreneurs. My mom has her own piano studio that was always in the home. I would get home from school and have to self direct myself for several hours until my mom had finished with her last student. I would often wake up Saturday morning to the sounds of students playing songs that I eventually knew by heart. The same developmental pieces in the same books, over and over again. I would help my mom with all her paperwork, being tasked to make copies and a very slow, single piece of paper at a time, copier. Read more>>

William Clark

I come from a long generation of hard workers. One of my grandathers owned a painting company, and the other a retired railroad worker. My mom worked on education for many years. So strong and solid work ethic was instilled in me at a very young age. Read more>>

Marshall Nich0l

Truly I get my work ethic from fear. I am afraid of disappointing the people who have invested so much into me. I am afraid of proving some people right, I am afraid of not being the man that other people need me to be. I also get my work ethic from freedom. I was born into foster care (though I spent an very short time there). When your life begins like that, then by some divine intervention you end up in a situation like I have, you feel very free. Quite frankly, I don’t feel like I can lose in life, because I already won the lottery. I am free to fail because of the fact that I was so blessed. I have the obligation to make the most of what I have been given. Read more>>

Adam Wilson

My work ethic can be attributed to a few different things: my upbringing, my purpose in life, and my desire to accomplish and grow as a human being, business man, and artist. My parents owned a restaurant growing up, and ran it together. All 3 of their sons worked at the restaurant and it was a huge part of each of our childhood’s – working and making money at the restaurant, bringing friends in to eat, and working together as a family. Even on holidays we would work together and eat the leftover food that we had made for the customers together. It taught me that hard work pays off, and that if you work hard enough at something it can become whatever you want it to be. Read more>>

Georgia Jones

I credit my work ethic to several different factors. Growing up, my parents were incredible role models who instilled a strong work ethic in me. I watched them work hard every single day for our family, and they always pushed me to do the same. As a kid, I played sports year round. After quitting sports, I got a minimum wage job to save up to buy my first camera. I asked anyone and everyone if they would let me take photos of them just to get practice behind the camera. I said yes to almost everything, which could be overwhelming at times, but led to great connections and taught me a lot of lessons. I’ve always lived a busy life, and the only way to make it through was to work hard. Read more>>

Kelly Roach

Discipline stems from desire. When you have a strong desire to create a better life for yourself, your family, and future generations, you naturally focus on the path to making that a reality. It’s this desire that fuels the discipline and work ethic needed to achieve big dreams, build a better future, and create lasting opportunities for the next generation. Read more>>

Esperanza Lorena Scotto

I grew up on a farm in Eastern Washington with crops & livestock. I was given many responsibilities that come with running a farm from a young age which taught me how to work hard. After I finished my degree in interior design, I worked at a remodeling business and learned how to juggle and manage numerous projects, a skill that I continued to develop when I was working as an assistant to an interior designer afterward. When I started working as a full-time blogger & content creator, I had to learn how to be my own boss. The work ethic and management skills I learned over the years have served me very well. As a self-employed entrepreneur, it’s extremely important to be driven, motivated, and resilient in order to navigate daily business decisions and for longevity. Read more>>

David Quiroz Jr.

I credit my parents for instilling a great work ethic in me. From a young age I was always taught that I’d have to work for anything I wanted. I was washing dishes at a sports bar when I was fourteen, and have worked every day of my life since then. I knew I wanted to be a writer from a very young age, but I had no connections in the industry, and no one to mentor me or provide guidance as I was starting out. The only way I grew a network was by constantly writing and getting my work out there. Had I not had the work ethic I do, I would have never gotten my work in front of the right people to get me where I am today. I’m grateful I was raised to understand that nothing would be handed to me, and that I’d have to hustle and put in the hours myself to get any opportunity. Read more>>

Suzsea B

My work ethic is rooted in my desire to create thoughtful and impactful design solutions across various mediums. Growing up, I was involved in various extracurricular activities—sports, youth groups, art classes, and jobs—that instilled a strong sense of discipline. The routine and structure from my childhood helped me understand the value of time management, focus, and learning through trial and error. I’ve carried these lessons into my career, constantly refining my work habits to ensure I produce my best work. Read more>>

Victor Garcia

Honestly, my work ethic is a mix of resilience and a touch of chaos. Growing up, I moved around a lot, which taught me how to adapt fast. It wasn’t easy, but it helped me learn how to work hard and stay flexible, even when things felt unpredictable. Coming from a single-parent household, I saw firsthand the importance of perseverance and grit, which shaped a lot of my drive. Read more>>

Erin Rose Raduazo

I would say without a doubt my work ethic came from the example set by those in my family. I was raised by a single mother and single grandmother who were two of the hardest working people I have ever met in my life. Throughout my life my mom always had multiple jobs in order to make ends meet and to build a life for her and I. She worked a full time job during the day and often worked nights and weekends in the food and bev industry for extra income. My grandmother often babysat me, she grew up in the great depression on a farm and worked for many years doing hard physical labor in a book-binding factory. Both of them set an incredible example of what hard work really meant, and to never give up. Throughout my working career I have always been eager to learn more and as quickly as possible with the hopes of always being able to do more and do better. Read more>>

Cody Digiuseppe

Growing up I was always told that a job worth doing is a job worth doing well. I was always taught value in whatever it is you do for a job. So have a true love and passion for rap and making music, I just felt like I need to work as hard as I can to get where I want with music. Read more>>

Latrisha Taylor

My work ethic comes from the examples I’ve seen from my grandmother Sylvia and my parents. They have always been the example of putting pride in anything that you do.
When it relates to cooking, I’ve spent years watching my mother and grandmother spend countless hours preparing amazing food for many holidays/special occasions. No matter if they were cooking for 2 people or 80 they always did so with love and pride. They put great emphasis on the details and the quality of the dishes they created. Read more>>

Makala Latham

I get my work ethic from my parents. Growing up they always taught my sisters and I to do things “all the way, right away, and with a joyful heart” there is no point in doing a project half way and it will only reflect poorly on you. I was able to watch both my mom and my dad work so hard to take care of my siblings and me. My dad is a retired law enforcement officer and my mom is a stay at home mom, both of them did everything in their power to make sure we had/have an amazing life. Read more>>

Saskia Bee

I was raised in part by my Depression-era grandparents. Notions of thrift, reuse, saving, and cobbling together resources was an integral part of my upbringing. My grandmother would pay me to do odd jobs, while my grandfather taught me to repurpose and repair things to restore them to usefulness. Because of my grandparents’ resourcefulness, we never went without essentials; nor did I lack anything in the way of treats or more novel provisions. Read more>>

Alexander Shalom Joseph

I work hard on my craft because it is a privilege to have a craft to work hard on. I see so many people in the world struggling to make meaning of the world, of their lives, to try and find something that feels worthwhile to do with their time or to build their lives around. I have miraculously found something that feels bigger than myself, that gives me hope and meaning, that I have now built my life around. I wake up each morning before the sun so that I will have time to write and despite how tired I am, as soon as I start to write I feel connected to that path, to that privilege of having an artistic practice. It is one of the only things in my life that does not feel like work at all and thus I am able to work so hard at it, to give it everything I have. Read more>>

Bryon Jones Jr.

I would like to start off saying, I am a 10 year old young Prince, as my mom would say but I get my work ethic from my mom and my late Mom-Mom Dee. They are the strongest people I know. They work really hard every day and never give up, even when things get tough. I see my mom wake up super early, make breakfast, and then go to work with a big smile. She always tells me to try my best and that it’s okay to mess up sometimes as long as I keep trying. Read more>>

Tyler Browne

I have a strong sense of obligation and my faith teaches me to work like I am working for God and not just one person‘s. Read more>>

Petrie Willink

When I was a young lad, my father would commute into the city to work at a big bank (Morgan Stanley). To get there on time he would have to wake up at 5am every morning and wouldn’t return until 7 or 8 in the evenings. Then after dinner, instead of relaxing he went to work fixing the many issues with our house. He’d install insulation, fix the plumbing or mend the leaky roof. I saw how tirelessly he worked, how selfless he was for my mum and my siblings. I would think to myself, how can I ever work as hard as my hero – my father. Read more>>

Khusto Gololo

I get my work ethic from what I do, I believe it’s best so it keeps me wanting to be above best, so my work is my ethic, my confidence, my everything. Read more>>