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.
TJ McBride
I believe I picked it up from the discipline of my parents. Growing up, I had a strong father who worked hard and strong mother who worked hard. My mother was a teacher, and still is to this day, my father was a Muni driver, and they both worked hard in the church too. So I got that pattern of working hard and being determined from them. But also growing up in the music world helped my work ethic. I grew up in the classical music world, so I had to practice all the time. I was around a lot of different people–a lot of whites and Asians who I had to keep up with and I was the only Black boy around there at the time. So I had to practice. Read More>>
Jason Keelan
I get my work ethic from my parents. Both work incredibly hard and have done for many many years. My dad lost his job on December 11th in the morning in 1986. I was born less than 12 hours later!! Wasn’t easy but we made it Read More>>
Kimberly Bogues
Definitely my parents! They modeled what working hard looked like.
Like many people, when it came time for college, I had to figure out how I would pay for it. I always felt grateful for the opportunities I was given, which made me want to give 110%, whether it be school, a job, or looking for scholarships. Read More>>
Benjamin Waid
My work ethic stems from a combination of influences in my life. First and foremost, I have to credit my parents for instilling in me the values of discipline and perseverance. They always emphasized the importance of hard work and taking responsibility for my actions, which shaped my mindset from a young age. Read More>>
Anthony Fizer
I would say I got my work ethnic from the adults I had in my life as I was growing up. This includes my dad (Dennis Sr.), mom (Shirley), and stepmom (Katie). When I was young, I was able to see the resilience and hard work that they put in all aspects of life. This was encompassed in their work life as well as being able to provide the things I needed in my personal life. Despite whatever circumstances came their way, they were able to look at the bright side of things and do what needed to be done. Read More>>
Jenny Davis
My parents were immigrants from Taiwan, looking for opportunities and a bright future for their children, in the States. Back in the late 70’s, which is when they came over here, civil rights for Asian Americans (or immigrants trying to get citizenship) was in the aftermath of the movement for equality, so my parents faced a lot of discrimination. My dad told me, when I was a teen, that the only thing he knew how to do, to earn the respect of others, was to work. He grew up in poverty, living in the shanty towns of Taiwan. He overcame many adversities and got himself through school to become a research scientist, specifically, a molecular endocrinologist. Read More>>
Natasha Krohn
My work ethic started really early on in childhood. My parents taught me strong work ethic at a young age. At 12 I was waking up at 3am to go work on a local horse ranch during my summers. I competed in gymnastics for over 10 years , went to the gym sometimes before school and then after. Academically it came natural after pursuing things that fostered my creative outlets. My uncle taught me photography at 9 years old and I took dark room classes in Jr. High and High School. I wrote poetry and submitted to competitions and have several of them published. Read More>>
Danielle Stricklen
I get my work ethic from my mother. For as long as I can remember my mom has worked and been amazing at anything she does. She and I have worked several jobs together and we work very well together. We learn from each other ever though I’m always the student. She taught me that if you love what you do it’s not considered work. Its like getting paid to have fun. Read More>>
Amanda McKnight
I was fortunate enough to be raised by hard workers who took pride in the work they did. I watched my dad and my grandfather work from sun up til sun down. My dad,who has severe asthma, can work around men half his age. They both taught me that you can figure out solutions to any problem,sometimes you just have to get creative, and that the work you put out is a reflection of you. Read More>>
Diamond Jewell
I would say that my work ethic stems from my childhood. Growing up, I watched both my Mom and Grandma work full time jobs. I remember as a kid My mom would work so much sometimes I wouldn’t even see her, and I would be like where’s my mom!?! Which I feel holds most of the weight when it come to my own work ethic. Since becoming a mom myself, I’ve become real heavy on the work smarter not harder way of working meaning I work less hours, make more money, get the job done and have more free time to spend with my kid and enjoying being a mom. Read More>>
Jeramy Purley
I get My Work ethic from My Mother,Father,Grandma & Grandpa they all worked hard for everything,many years.I witnessed it.You can’t be in the Family if your lazy lol.Each of them always kept a job,different careers.So to this Day,I still use values they taught me at an young age.When I wake up I’m ready to work everyday.I’m so thankful for many life lessons they gave me.I’ll continue making them proud of Me. I will complete this journey. Read More>>
Morgan welch
I get my work ethic from my parents. They instilled hard work in me from a young age. I learned that nothing come easy on life but hard work is where it pays off. I am a artist. I am an entrepreneur. It is my God given talent which makes me so excited about it. I enjoy telling stories through my paintings. My main medium I use is acrylic and oil painting. My paintings can be found on my website and instagram page. Read More>>
pscila
I believe my work ethic comes from me just refusing to put a significant amount of energy into anything I’m not passionate about. Singing, songwriting, performing never feels like work to me because I genuinely love it. Loving what I do allows me to approach each project I work on with enthusiasm. Read More>>
Pierre Amari
Honestly, I Get my work ethic from my mother. She has always been someone who I admired for as long as I can remember. Growing up I always seen her make things happen and she instilled in me at a young age that you have to work for what you want. That’s something that stuck with with me. My mother has this natural hustle about herself. She’s going to always find a way to make sure she has everything that she wants and needs especially for her children. I truly believe that if it wasn’t for her I wouldn’t have that great work ethic that I have now. Read More>>
Ilana Kleiman
I get my work ethics from home. Since I was little my parents and my dear grandma educated me that profession and hard work come first. They taught me that anything I do I should practice and work the hardest I can to achieve the highest goals possible. Read More>>
Misha Jefferson
When I think about my work ethic, I think about my mom, family and ancestors. From the time that I learned how to read and write to the time that I developed the sense to work, I have always had a very strong high driven, determined, and most importantly, fast and efficient work ethic. Growing up and seeing my mom raised her kids as a single mother and seeing how strong her work ethic was and how hard and how big her drive was to keep going even though the cards were stacked against her she never gave up and one thing for sure. Me and my brother have never wanted for anything. My father, I get my hustle mentality from him. Read More>>
Tom Curtis Jr.
Hard work is where you can find true happiness and success. Over time, I’ve discovered this and continued to build upon it through myself each and every day. This wasn’t always the way of life for me. I used to be the king of comfort zones and find myself often using crutches such as over sleeping, partying too much, brainwashing my mind with pointless phone and tv usage, etc… Now I look back and acknowledge how much time was wasted on things and materials that I thought were erasing issues or situations I felt uncomfortable dealing with when in reality, this only paused them. Read More>>
Kris Williams
Being the only female out of 6 male brothers I’ve always had a sense of proving myself. Making sure I can stand on my own and take care of myself. It’s been hard at times but I’ve always had a drive to want more and be a better version of myself because I know I can. Some times I felt over looked but I feel maybe it’s apart of the process. I’m currently an entrepreneur working everyday and some people tell me I should take a day off. I do on special occasions , but the bills don’t stop products don’t pay for themselves . In order for me to grow I have to post my work continuously. My goal is to one day have my nail salon and probably a few more . So my drive my work ethic coming for me knowing down the road I’m destined for greatness. Read More>>
Brandon Lang
Growing up in Decatur Georgia raised in a single parent home I am the oldest of 4 children my mother raised, my father passed when I was 13. Being the man of the house and big brother responsibility was a trait I took on at an early age. My grandfather was the most influential man in my life He taught & molded me into the man I am today. “PaPa” is what we called him, exposed me & my siblings to sports, spent quality time, picked us up from practices and games and feeding us after when we were hungry. My granddad worked hard for everything he earned, loved by his family, the church & the community. Read More>>
Rossmond Chark
Definitely my Mom and Sister! I’ve seen my mom get up and go to the same job for 23 years straight and never complain, I never got the feeling she didn’t want to go one day or another, she just went day after day. Staying for overtime, picking up extra shifts, being one of the top workers for as long as I can remember. Read More>>
Suma Te Woke La
It’s been bread into me, from a early age I was taught that I would be looked down upon due to my ethnicity that I would have to work twice as hard to achieve greater things, There will always be people that will stand in my way to place road blocks and obstacles in my path before achieving my goals. As a child I watche d what my mother went through raising my brother and I. I got to see with my own two eyes that what was spoken to me was true. Read More>>
Kristen Khamistos
One challenge of my life is that my dad passed away when I was 5 years old. I didn’t get the chance to know him very well, but I had been told what a wonderful, bright, fun and hardworking person he was. So many people shared with me how smart he was that I wanted to extend that piece of him by trying to emulate those traits in my life. Although he wasn’t there when I developed my love of learning, studying, and creating anything and everything, he was my inspiration in doing those things. He was my inspiration in always wanting to be 1st, getting an A, graduating college, setting bigger and better goals for myself, and more. Read More>>
Tyona Bowman
Without a doubt I would have to say ballet and my mom. Both taught me so much discipline in my craft and to never give up. It definitely prepared to have a successful future! Acting and entertaining is my life! I started out as a multi-genre dancer and gradually took on other talents as I explored the possibilities of the industry. That is what people say “sets me apart” I created my own way of entertaining the masses and showcasing my skills by making Stainless Cinema LC ( my film company ). We are actually in production for a short that was written in collaboration with my fellow actors of Sanford Meisner’s Playhouse West Acting School. Read More>>
Loren & Hillary Heller & Cullum respectively
We’ve both been hard workers since our first day of work right out of college. Remarkably, we’re both raised very similarly and with a mindset that with hard work comes big rewards. Neither of us procrastinates or puts things off and it’s made a huge difference in our ability to run a business together. The flip side of that coin is that there are always moments when motivation is low and we may not feel as proactive as we need to. During those moments we really look to one another and help lift each other up whenever necessary. Read More>>
Alexandria X
My work ethic is something that has been instilled in me since I was young. Growing up my mother stressed the importance of not only hard work, but thorough work as well. She would say to me “if you’re going to do something, do it right or don’t do it at all”. She shared with me the value in working diligently in everything, whether it was school work or house work, I was to give my best effort in all that I do. As a hardworking woman herself, she led by example, so I really have no excuse. Read More>>
Golden Child
I’ve watched my mom be on time for work for years. Even on tough days . So I know what it means to bounce back from from hard times through hard work and dedication. Read More>>
SCOTT O’REILLY
I’ve always had an ability to visualize perceptibly for as long as I can remember. So when I decided to try my hand at a career in video production, it came rather naturally to me. After a few successful videos I produced as a hobby, I was ready to invest into a good digital camera that I would use to produce videos for a living. I knew I wanted a digital work flow and that the camera had to be HD. However, I could not ignore some of the incredibly cinematic HD video images I was seeing online from a photography camera, the Canon 5D Mark II. Read More>>
Ashley Cleveland
My work ethic truly comes from my mother. Over the years I’ve watched her work hard to provide my brother and I with the necessities in life plus way more! She always had this drive about her where she would push hard even on days that she didn’t feel well. Later in life, I grew to learn and remember that your work ethic speaks volumes about your character. Even the text says if man doesn’t work, then man shall not eat……guess what? We have to eat to live! Read More>>
Lindsey Benton
Growing up, my parents were my biggest inspirations. Watching them work tirelessly instilled in me the true value of hard work. My mom was the backbone of our family, managing the household, finances, and our lives with absolute precision. Even when my youngest sister started kindergarten, she went back to work in our school district. My dad worked as a civil engineer, moving us back to my parents home town to contribute and eventually lead his dad’s consulting engineering firm. Read More>>
Dr Carla Rodrigues
I am a first generation American, which means I was raised in an immigrant family. My family first migrated to the USA in the late 70s, to Newark, New Jersey from Portugal. They shared the same aspirations as any other immigrant who chose to move to the land of opportunity. When you leave your country behind, to an unknown place, with the sole purpose of being able to provide for your families, This does not only take a leap of faith, it takes courage, and a very solid work ethic. My family did everything they could to make ends meet so they could make a decent living. Integrity and hard work, this was what I was taught. Read More>>
Lindsey Reichert
I would definitely say I get my work ethic from my parents! My dad was a business owner for most of my life and came from quite literally nothing. He came from very humble beginnings and overcame many obstacles to reach the success that he did. Succeeding is the only option – no matter how many times you fall, always get back up. Read More>>
Nicole Kemper
I would say that I get my work ethic from my mother. She was a single mom raising two kids and working late nights full time as a nurse – all while going back to school to get a degree that better reflected her passion and dreams. I can vividly remember laying in bed at night and hearing her clacking away at her typewriter as she wrote her term papers. When you’ve seen that it’s hard to complain about not having enough time to write your screenplay! Read More>>
Kimberly Cornwell
Guess you might say I got my work ethic directly from my Dad. He never stopped. Whether working his paying job, a side hassle (hauling asphalt or plowing snow) or simply, in service to others. He was employed as dispatcher at a local rock quarry – working 5 1/2 days a week, never got paid vacation or sick leave and never once complained. His evenings and Saturday afternoons were spent tending to the outside chores – mowing and gardening and Sundays he would bike about 10 miles to his parents home and have breakfast with them – only to come home to his wife and 3 girls and spend the day – picnics, softball, grilling or those famed Sunday drives. Read More>>
Tabor Priest
My work ethic comes from my Dad. He started a construction company the year I was born and from even before I could walk, I was crawling around the hardwood floors of our house chasing my Dad with either a plastic screwdriver or hammer. Ever since then, I became known as his “Little Helper.” As I grew I worked with him and for him in the construction company all the way up until I was 27 Years old. Through the years I developed the characteristics of hard work, efficiency, being polite and respectful, understanding how to effectively work as a team, doing each task to the best of my ability and always with the highest form of quality possible, and knowing that everything we do is for the best interest of the client. Read More>>
Christina Morgan
Honestly, I’m not sure. I’ve always loved working and being able to provide for myself for as long as I can remember. I grew up kinda poor but my parents always made sure we had everything we needed even if they struggled to get it. My parents divorced when I was young and I saw my mom struggled so i guess that pushed me to work. Read More>>
Anita Mays
I believe in hard work, dedication and going the extra mile to achieve my goals. I strive for excellence in everything I do, from selection of ingredients to the presentation of my baked goods. Baking is not a job, it’s my passion, the smallest detail can make a big difference. Consistency is key to building trust with my customers. Read More>>
Patrick Skinner
My work ethic comes from a unique fusion of my experiences as a Paratrooper Medic, Mass Casualty Coordinator, and now as a technical founder in the web3 space.
In the Army, and particularly during the tragedy in Haiti, I learned the profound importance of commitment, discipline, and the relentless pursuit of our mission, no matter how dire the circumstances. The urgency of the tasks at hand, the magnitude of the responsibility, and the lives that hung in the balance forced me to optimize every minute of my time and every ounce of effort. Read More>>
Noelle Pratt
I would say I got my work ethic from my athletic career, but also my parents. In regards to my athletic career I was a gymnast for 10 years and a cheerleader for 8. Both sports require you to aim for perfection and to keep working until you get it right. Even when you get it right there’s always something that could be better. Read More>>
Andraya Simental
My work ethic comes from the amazing example set by my hero, my grandfather Larry. Throughout my life, his diligent nature has been a constant source of inspiration. Whether tending to his farm, lending a helping hand to his neighbors by mowing their lawns, or tackling his business’s paperwork, he always made sure to involve me in his endeavors. At the end of each day, he would treat me to ice cream, teaching me that the results are more rewarding when earned through hard work. As I got older, this mindset became ingrained in my character, shaping my approach to life. Read More>>
Gerardo Becerril
Working hard and being dedicated to your job can be very rewarding. It not only helps you achieve your goals, but it can also lead to promotions and other opportunities. It’s important to stay focused and motivated, even when things get tough. Remember to prioritize your tasks and stay organized. And don’t forget to take breaks and take care of yourself, too! When you have a strong work ethic, it shows that you are reliable and committed to your job. This can lead to better relationships with your colleagues and superiors. It’s also important to be proactive and take initiative when it comes to your work. This can help you stand out and demonstrate your value to the company. Read More>>
