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.

Paige Elder

Honestly, I have to blame my dad for my work ethic. He’s been the hardest working person I’ve ever known — stubbornly so. Growing up, I’d watch him tackle projects that probably required three people and half a clue, and somehow he’d figure it out, without fail and looking professional as ever.
He didn’t finish high school, but he taught himself everything he needed to get ahead. It’s impossible not to pick up that drive (and maybe a little bit of the stubbornness) when you grow up watching someone like that. Read More>>

Suzanne Colmer

I truly believe that my work ethic was woven into my DNA. Although, in fairness, loving what you do for work makes it so much easier to put your whole heart into it. I credit my parents for helping foster this. Not only did they lead by example by choosing jobs that brought them joy and allowed them to come home happy and fulfilled after full days and long weeks, they also encouraged us to follow our passions. Even if that meant me diving head first into the abyss of entrepreneurship and my brother into a life of music. Read More>>

Florian Sohard

I was a bookseller for ten years before becoming an independent worker. Over the course of my career, I developed a quite high level of professionalism, which was reflected in a welcoming attitude and a certain sense of customer relations. In the bookshop, I always tried to behave towards people in the way I wanted them to behave towards me, by being kind, polite and understanding. Read More>>

Kelly Breuer

People often ask me where my resilience and relentless work ethic come from — and without hesitation, I always say: my grandmother.

From the time I was a very young child, I was constantly by her side. I watched her live with strength, purpose, and a kind of tireless energy that was truly unmatched. I eventually lived with my grandparents from the age of 13 through my early 20s, and those years deeply shaped the person I’ve become.  Read More>>

Shane Tutmarc

For me, music isn’t just work—I think of it more as a lifestyle, or sometimes as therapy. Songwriting and production are often how I best process and experience life. Sometimes I don’t know how I feel about a situation until it’s distilled into a song. Read More>>

Brittany Hicks

Our work ethic is something we credit to our parents, who both proudly served in the U.S. Navy. Growing up in a military family, we were raised with values like discipline, responsibility, and follow-through. We saw firsthand what it looked like to commit fully to something and to take pride in doing things well, no matter how big or small the task. Read More>>

Irene Kadir

My work ethic comes from a blend of my parents’ values, both of whom inspired me in very different ways. My dad ran a glass shop, where creativity had to meet precision every single day. He was big on discipline—he’d say things like, “Plan your day, and make it a habit.” That stuck with me. Even now, I like to start early, get ahead of deadlines, and leave space to revisit my work if something feels off. That mindset—being prepared, being early, giving yourself room to think—has helped me deliver my design work professionally and consistently.  Read More>>

Reva Wilkins

I’m convinced I got my work ethic from both of my parents. They’ve always worked incredibly hard, day in and day out, and I’ve always looked up to them for that. My mom manages a well-known store, and even though my dad is retired, he somehow seems busier than ever. I’ve learned that responsibility, hard work, and dependability really matter in any career—whether you’re running your own small business or working a full-time job.  Read More>>

Chanah Brown

I’ve always had a strong work ethic it’s something that was instilled in me from a young age. I was taught that I can achieve anything I want, as long as I’m willing to put in the effort. That mindset has stayed with me throughout my life and career. I also believe in the power of influence, so I intentionally surround myself with driven, motivated people who inspire me to keep pushing forward and I hope to do the same for others. Nothing meaningful comes without work, and I take pride in showing up, staying consistent, and striving to be the best version of myself. Read More>>

Liz Nemeth

My work ethic comes from a combination of my family and where I grew up. I grew up in Quincy, MA, a blue collar town, where my family and everyone around me worked hard. During my senior year in high school I interned at a photo studio in Boston while also working 2 other part time jobs. I had an over abundance of confidence. I jumped on every opportunity that came my way, always with the attitude that I could do anything.  Read More>>

Jasmine Nesbeth

My work ethic definitely comes from my dad!! He’s a very hard worker!! From working multiple jobs to having his own business and working seven days a week!! I am definitely my “Father’s Daughter” when it comes to that! Read More>>

Maddie Main

I’ve built my strong work ethic through the example my family set for me, my college experience, and my own personal drive. Growing up, I saw firsthand what hard work looks like—my dad went back to school to earn a second degree, transitioning from being an engineer to a patent attorney, while my mom raised four kids and later worked her way up to become the CEO of a nonprofit. Watching them taught me the value of patience, commitment, family, and chasing your goals. Read More>>

Joe Platz

I get my work ethic from the men who raised me—my grandfather and my dad. My grandfather was a rancher and carpenter, and my dad is a master automotive technician. I grew up in a rural community where hard work wasn’t optional—it was respected, expected, and passed down. That foundation shaped me early, Coupled with my Christian faith, scripture teaches us to work as though we’re working for the Lord, not for man. I believe your career is one of the clearest lanes to express the gifts God gave you. Read More>>

Krista Morehead

I developed my work ethic from growing up in a large family as the second of six siblings. I watched my parents work tirelessly to provide for us. My mom, in particular, has owned and managed businesses on and off for years and has shown me what entrepreneurship looks like. Being one of the older siblings, I’ve naturally taken on a leadership role, and my younger siblings look up to me, so I’ve always felt a responsibility to set a strong example.  Read More>>

Alliya Jayde

Growing up, I had the privilege of witnessing my mother’s unwavering work ethic, which has had a profound impact on my own approach to hard work and dedication.

My mother was the rock of our family, always putting in extra hours to ensure that my brother and I had a comfortable life. I remember her waking up early every morning, getting ready for work, and making sure that my brother and I always made it to school. She would come home exhausted, but never complained, always putting our needs before her own. Read More>>

Gamin Kang

I get my work ethic from a blend of my cultural background, my experience as a musician, and the resilience I’ve seen in my family and mentors. Growing up in a Korean household, I witnessed a deep sense of dedication, especially toward education, craft, and shared responsibility. As a traditional musician, I was trained through rigorous practice and discipline, often spending hours refining the smallest gestures. That commitment taught me not only persistence, but also reverence for process and the importance of honoring those who came before me. Read More>>

Danielle

My work ethic comes from a deep, personal commitment to being my best on my terms. I’m driven by the standard I hold myself to: excellence without burnout, ambition without ego, and consistency without chaos. That means showing up fully, doing the work others overlook, and refining the details until it feels true to me. I want to look at what I’ve built and know it reflects the best of my creativity, intelligence, and values. That’s what keeps me going. Read More>>

LaShaunda Hoffman

I believe I received my work ethics from my mother and my supervisors in the military. My mother was a dedicated worker she rarely took sick days. She taught me that a job can provide for your family and also be something you enjoyed.

As a teenager she requested I volunteer at the hospital as my first job. It taught me how to give my time freely so I’d appreciate when I was paid for my services. Read More>>

Natalie Dunham

I am truly grateful to have grown up in a family surrounded by hardworking individuals who served as inspiring role models. From a young age, I exhibited a strong sense of self-motivation and a relentless drive to achieve my goals. Whether I was continuously expanding and updating my seven-story shoebox mansion for my popsicle stick figures, practicing hours in the basement to prep for the hula hoop competition at school, or working on my flexibility for gynmastics by doing the splits in bed while my mother read me bedtime stories, I demonstrated persistence and determination. Read More>>

Pietro Estrada

I believe my work ethic comes from my family, especially my mom, whom I’ve seen as a hard worker since I was a small kid. My first memories are of accompanying her sometimes to work at the small office supplies shop she had with her sisters. I would sit behind the counter and watch her work and take care of incoming clients. Then I would be right by her side when she first opened her Art Restoration Lab and later, Arte La Fabrica (her first art gallery).  Read More>>

Natalie Williamson

My work ethic comes from the incredible example set by my parents. Both of them came from humble beginnings and had to work extremely hard to create opportunities for themselves. My dad, originally from the Philippines, moved to the U.S. at just 7 years old. In his household, when you turned 18, you were expected to be out on your own. So, he turned to the Army, used the GI Bill to fund his education, and worked multiple jobs to support himself and my mom. My mom, too, worked multiple jobs while earning her college degree. Read More>>

Brandon Perez

Honestly, I get my work ethic from my family and my experience as a first-generation American. Mexican culture has this idea that the worst thing you can be is lazy. It’s not always the healthiest mindset, but it definitely pushes you to show up and get things done.
Before I ever filled out a W-2 or got a real job, I was already putting in work. Saturdays weren’t for sleeping in, they were for yard work, helping my dad on random odd jobs, or lending a hand at relative’s houses. That kind of upbringing definitely imprints a drive in you early on. Read More>>

Gabriele Maria Bussetti

I grew up artistically watching Sergio Leone’s films. The way he built tension stuck with me – you could feel so much in just a look. Now when I’m working, I find myself asking: ‘Am I giving this story everything it deserves?’ It’s not always comfortable – sometimes that means staying late or starting over when something feels off – but that’s how you put in the work. Read More>>

Vanessa FairyAnn

My work ethic really comes from my upbringing and early life experiences. Growing up, things weren’t easy financially. I went through the foster care system, and even though my basic needs were eventually met, I noticed pretty quickly that anything beyond that—things I wanted or even things I felt I truly needed—weren’t always a priority or accessible through my parents. If I wanted something, I had to work for it. That taught me early on that no one was going to hand me anything. Read More>>

Theresa Christensen

I get my work ethic from my parents. My mother is an immigrant, and my father was born in Brooklyn and raised out on Long Island. They both left home soon after high school and met while serving in the US Air Force while stationed in Alaska. They left home to make a better life for themselves. They married in 1976, had my brother, and then had me shortly after buying their first home in North Babylon, NY. My father worked for the Long Island Railroad as an electrician, and my mother worked for the United States Postal Service.  Read More>>

Zihao Chen

I think my work ethic comes from growing up in a context where persistence, humility, and quiet dedication were deeply valued. But it has truly been shaped and tested through the experience of living and working in different countries. As a foreign national navigating between China, Germany, and the United States, I have often found myself in unfamiliar systems where nothing was guaranteed, whether it was visas, housing, or institutional support. Read More>>

Harrison Blum

My work ethic is deeply rooted in the belief that success is rarely accidental. It’s something earned, deliberately, incrementally, through discipline, curiosity, and the quiet conviction that the long road is often the most rewarding.

I didn’t take the conventional path as others do in my industry, that’s for sure. I studied music in college, not the safest choice, and definitely not the one that comes with a guaranteed return. My mom and dad, to their credit, didn’t stand in the way, and I think part of my drive still comes from making them proud. Read More>>

Bre Forbes

I love this question, and have a few reflections!

The best quote I can share to summarize where I got my work ethic from would be, “People don’t buy what you do, but why you do it”. -Simon Sinek

This quote influenced whose habits and patterns I followed in order to approach developing my work ethic over the years. I followed in the steps of people whose “Why” for their work and purpose in the world were very clear and strong to me, and also that aligned mostly with values that were important to me. Read More>>

Brittni Rankin

I credit my work ethic to my dad. Growing up, my parents owned their own business, so I had a front-row seat to what dedication really looked like. My dad was always up early and often worked evenings, weekends, and even holidays. He led by example — never cutting corners, always going the extra mile, and staying committed no matter what the day looked like. Read More>>

Pren’Cess Smith

My work ethic comes from growing up and not having much of anything, and all though that part was kinda sad it set me up to build my character, become resourceful and rely on my skills to get what I wanted out of life. Read More>>

Jessica Moorma

It’s simple — we were raised by parents who worked their asses off. They didn’t just talk about being dependable, they lived it every day. Adam and I grew up watching them push through long hours, tough seasons, and still show up, no matter what. That taught us early on that hard work isn’t optional — it’s just what you do when people are counting on you. Being reliable, showing up even when it’s hard, and putting heart into everything — that’s the standard they set, and it’s the standard we live by. Read More>>

Cindy & Robert Leger

Cindy credits her Grandma Putman, who always had projects for her to do: spring cleaning or mowing the yard, followed by the reward of going shopping at a nearby mall. Robert gives credit to his parents. His mother helped build the local community theater, and in doing so landed a gig as a local radio talk show host. His father, with two others, bought out his employer’s struggling business and built it into a firm that won national awards. Both demonstrated the payoffs of hard work. Read More>>

Retro Myrtle Beach Guy

Well, growing up working class in east Baltimore, you had to work hard to get anywhere. I started as a cart boy at our local grocery store til I could get a work permit and on my 16th birthday I started working full time on a school/work program. Read More>>

Madelyn Santoro

Growing up, my family went through a lot of tough times. My dad was a Ranger in the military during 9/11 and was deployed several times. And while this is a really sensitive topic, my mom also has struggled with a lifetime of depression. I’ll never know what my dad saw or experienced when he was gone, but deployments changed my dad. Looking back now as an adult, it’s extremely clear to me that he was struggling with PTSD.  Read More>>

Dejah Mason

I really do get my work ethic from my dad. He’s worked day and night to provide for our family and with that, it showed me that this is how a hard working, determined person is supposed to work. Both of my parents were in the army so there was little room for error when it came to how hard we were supposed to work. Read More>>

Coy Howell

From a very young age I was taught to apply myself wholeheartedly in all that I do. That grew into jobs, paid and volunteer, as a teenager and has fed my work ethic now as a touring engineer and entrepreneur. Read More>> 

Lakhvir Khinda

My work ethic comes from my family and our farm back in Punjab. When I was growing up in Jalandhar, my father worked the land every single day – 45 acres of farm with vegetables like cauliflower, carrots, tomatoes. You learn quickly that nothing comes easy, you have to work hard for everything. When we opened Electric Karma in 2005, I remember I stayed in the kitchen for two years straight, just working on getting the recipes right. Read More>>

Madeleine Perez

I’ve always had a strong work ethic – some of it came from my education from primary school all the way through graduate school. But mostly my work ethic came from my dad. He grew up in New York, raised by a single mom. They had very little and struggled to get by. Sometimes they didn’t even have enough food. Despite these obstacles, he put himself through college and law school while also working fulltime. Ultimately he went onto a huge law career.  Read More>>

Jamar Jenkins Sr

My work ethic comes from both of my grandfathers. One owned his own construction company, very skilled with his hands. Back in those days men did understand the importance of education but understood hard work, my grandfather had a third grade education but was very skilled with numbers and manual labor. My other grandfather was a landscaper where he worked in the field for over 20 years. The commitment every early morning to get the job done for his customers.  Read More>>

Brad Binko

I have always been very fortunate to had strong role models in my life. No one greater than my father. He is the hardest working person I have ever met and still continues to be even though he is almost 70 years old. He has owned his own business for over 30 years and is one of the most generous people I have ever met as well. He donates his time, knowledge and man power. Growing up in Buffalo you get used to snow, he still snow blows his neighbors drive ways and cuts my sister’s lawn.  Read More>>

Katie Seamons

I was raised by entrepreneurs so I knew what that looked like from a young age.

I don’t know that I really learned work ethic from anywhere specifically. I just know that growth and opportunity only come from work in some form or another.

I’ve developed a mindset of I can either dwell on what’s wrong or lacking, orrr…. I can do what is in my power and control to improve it to the best of my ability. It’s not often pretty at first, but its still better than nothing or at least a step or two closer to the end goal. Read More>>

Alec Puskas

I had a wonderful dance teacher in college that was very wise and taught me many life skills. Treat people the way you want to be treated, luck, luck is preperation meeting oppertunity. stand on your own two feet, and your reputation. Dress for the job you want, not the one you have. The meeting is at 1 pm, you are therein the lobby at 12:30. She taught me to do what you say you are going to do and keep your promise to do the best possible job you can. Be Honest! Read More>>

Sabin Prentis Duncan

My work ethic was instilled and modeled by my parents, Fred and Joanne Duncan. Their cultivation of my work ethic has roots in our culture and my environment. Culturally, as descendants of kidnapped Africans, a strong work ethic contributes to both survival and the possibility of freedom. Environmentally, as a native of Detroit, blue-collar grit fosters opportunities for those who work toward it. Read More>>

Tangela Phillips-Lane

My work ethic comes from being a single mother of 2 in 1996 Having 2 children under the age of 2. I knew I had to provide for them. The assistance I was receiving was not enough for the things we needed. . I knew then that I had to do something and I needed to show my girls what a strong independent woman looked liked. It was my desire to be a great mother and role-model for them that began to carve out my work ethic. Read More>>

Cheyanne Forgatch

I have been very blessed to have been raised by both a Mother and Father that had incredible work ethic.
My father owned his own business and my Mother was a stay at home mom until we were old enough for her to work outside the home.
I learned at a young age that the only way to achieve my goals and be the person I wanted to be, was to work harder and smarter than anybody else. Read More>>