While the media might often make it seem like hard work is dead and that everyone is just ghosting their lives away, we’ve seen countless examples of how strong the work ethic is on every street and in every neighborhood in America. Hard work is alive and well and we asked some of the hardest working folks we know how they developed their work ethic.

Aldo Casabona

Growing up, it was always hard to organize myself and plan in advance. My family and friends might disagree: On the surface, I always showed up. I was tidy with my toys and did well in school. Yet for a long period of my life, I despised doing homework, chores, and basically anything that I was tasked to do, postponing it until the last minute. That dichotomy always got me wondering… Read More>>

Gillian Brown

My work ethic began with my parents. My father always got up early and came back late working. My mother would always do different jobs, expanding her knowledge. They always instilled in me the thought to give your all and don’t back down. This was only enhanced in the marine corps. I think being put in life or death situations and that type of responsibility really highlights your work ethic and how it can apply to other parts in your life. Read More>>

Marc Griffin

My dad. Taught me at a very young age that I couldn’t be lazy. That wasn’t going to work. So he taught me how to work with my hands and to never ride anyone else’s coattails Read More>>

Mariagracia Ching

I 1000% get my work ethic from my parents. Where I hear that some parents had a hard and soft dichotomy, both of my parents were pretty hard; hard workers and hard realists. I’m also lucky to have grown up around a lot of intensely responsible women. Somehow the women in my family had enough love and patience to always make sure everyone around them were taken care of whether it was their children or not. Read More>>

Alison Mau

My mum – she’s English, so that’s what we call a ‘mom’. My mother was born in 1936, at the start of World War II and her earliest memories were of the sound of German fighter planes screaming overhead – what an introduction the world! She grew up with a ‘Protestant work ethic’, which basically means she has taken a ‘don’t complain about anything unless you’re prepared to do something meaningful about it’ approach to her whole life. Read More>>

Alzbeta Zunova

am perfectionist and I love to push things into meeting their full potential. Hard work, challenges and lots of creativity lead us to our clients we serve now. Read More>>

Ashley Glantz

My work ethic is deeply rooted in how I was raised. From a young age, I was taught the value of hard work and the understanding that nothing is simply handed to you. Hard work runs through my family’s history—coming from a lineage of farmers, it feels almost ingrained in me. Growing up, my parents owned their own business, and I was always there, lending a hand at events.  Read More>>

Brian Smale

I’ve been a commercial photographer for over 40 years. Editorial portraiture was my main focus for the first 30, and more recently I have been concentrating on the corporate / technology world. Read More>>

Dorsey Nguyen

My work ethic definitely comes from my mother. She is the hardest working person that I know. I watched her work as a teacher assistant during the day, go to school for her real estate license at night and be a mom 24/7. Even though she was busy, she would always make time for me as a child. She showed me that you really have to work hard and smart to become what you want to be. Read More>>

Joya Fails

I get my work ethic from my parents. From as far back as I can remember , both my mother and my father were honest hardworking people. Read More>>

Lauren Jett

I learned work ethic from my parents. Growing up, my Dad worked all the time to provide for our family. He always made time for us and came home for dinner but then would often go back to work and work through the night. I saw and admired how hard he worked. To this day, he still works pretty much every day, even on weekends.  Read More>>

Moon Pyinyar

I believe my work ethic comes from being around creatives who put their all into their art, you can’t help but get inspired and motivated when you surround yourself with people who move fast and get things done. Read More>>

Nick Bull

I grew up with a hard working family everyone had their daily job or task and some get no days off and i think just from a young age seeing that and then being apart of that helped. I also enjoy what I do for a living it’s always somthin new each day. Read More>>

Lawrence “The Law of HUEY” Mead Jr.

I get my work ethic from within. I think about all that I want to get out of life and my career and the places I want to take the people I love and it makes me want to go get it. Whatever it is. In my mind and heart, “it” will be mine, God willing. I know that a lot of people look at other things for the start up and I’ve tried it that way. But after so many times of doing that, it didn’t move me as much as my own desires and dreams. I realized that nothing or nobody makes me move. I, internally, have to want it. Read More>>

Yizhun Li

I’ve been deeply influenced by Kazuo Inamori’s philosophy, particularly the idea of ‘altruism’ from his works Ikikata (often translated as Living Way) and Kara-kata (often translated as Working Way). This taught me to always consider the needs and perspectives of others in any project I undertake. In addition, when I studied in New York, I often asked my professor about the music industry, and the one piece of advice he repeatedly gave me was ‘do your best.’ This simple but powerful phrase has stayed with me ever since, reminding me to approach every task with full dedication.  Read More>>

Dr. Eric Richards

We grow up without any consideration of what our daily life is doing to shape us. Children have gratification from certain inputs, and we feel discomfort or pain from others, and we take them for what they are worth. My parents spent hours upong hours reading devotionals to my brother and I, and through those worked tirelessly to instill character traits that would produce favorable outcomes.  Read More>>

Jonnie Macson

It’s something of a cliché to talk about work ethic being influenced by the role models in our lives, but you know what they say about clichés…

I take pride in being totally committed to my career, as well as to those who I work with, and for. I’m known for going above and beyond in the roles I’ve held throughout my career in Music Publishing, whether that be making myself available to others at their convenience, working collaboratively with team members, or just putting in hours beyond expectation. Read More>>

Yifei Xue

Just passion and the love for making good music honestly.
Work ethic is easy and natural to have when you work a job you genuinely love. Read More>>

Janet Constantino

I feel that my work ethic came from being born into a large family with seven siblings. We were taught at a young age that we all must work together when it came to house household chores, errands, etc. Read More>>

John Goetz

I was driving in the car last week when someone on the podcast I was listening to was complaining that all his son did was sit in his bedroom with his headphones on and either listen to music or play video games. My partner turned to me and said, “You ever do that?” Read More>>

Jonny Brown

Where do you get your work ethic from?

I get my work ethic from my mom. She was a true hustler, always consistent and persistent in everything she did—not just for herself, but for her family. No matter the circumstances, she made sure the bills were paid, and we had everything we needed. She taught me the importance of resilience, discipline, and showing up every day, no matter what. Read More>>

Krimesh Patel

My work ethic comes from a blend of scientific discipline and creative passion. As a senior scientist, I’ve learned precision, patience, and problem-solving, while photography has honed my adaptability and artistic vision. Balancing both careers requires dedication, time management, and a relentless pursuit of excellence in every task I undertake. Read More>>

David Waldron

My work ethic in extras casting is rooted in dedication, attention to detail, and a deep love for the industry. Growing up, his parents instilled in him the belief that nothing is ever given—you have to work hard for what you want, and mutual respect goes a long way. That lesson has shaped his approach to casting, where he knows success isn’t just about filling spots—it’s about elevating every scene with the right people. Read More>>

Dana Brandt

That’s an easy one. It’s inherited. I have a extremely hardworking parents and siblings. We’re all entrepreneurs and business owners. Growing up, my parents worked their tails off running their business and trying to provide a great life for myself and my brothers. My grandfather kept working until he was in in his 90’s. So my work ethic is definitely in my blood. Read More>>

Naomi Fortune

My work ethic is derived from both my late Mother, as well as my Father. Growing up, both parents were awake before the sun even came up and ready to hit the ground running. I can unequivocally say that I can count on one hand the number of times they were late, called out or were a “no call no show.” My parents were the epitome of work ethic and ALWAYS modeled the “Three C’s”: COMMITMENT. CONSISTENCY. COMPLETION. Read More>>

Emerson Hernandez

Work ethic is something I learned from my dad at an early age. My parents immigrated to California in the late 70’s as Civil War started to break out in El Salvador. My dad came to San Francisco where he worked at a restaurant washing dishes and one day while working, there was a raid which resulted in his deportation. Shortly after his deportation he made his way back to California with my mother and established himself in Los Angeles. Read More>>

Gabrielle Thompson

My work ethic was forged out of necessity. Growing up poor, I had no choice but to work from a young age. While many of my peers were focused on school and social lives, I was juggling jobs just to keep myself afloat. Survival wasn’t just a concept—it was my reality. There was no safety net, no backup plan, only the understanding that if I didn’t work hard, I wouldn’t make it. Read More>>

Jacqueline Starr

When it comes to my work ethic, I would say without a doubt I get it from my parents. From a very young age, my parents raised my siblings and I to work hard, give our best in everything we do, and see things through to the end. My dad worked full-time providing for us while my mom was a stay at home mom raising myself and my two siblings. Their example taught me that dedication and perseverance are the keys to success, and I carry those values with me every day. Read More>>

Jersey J

I get my work ethic from past missed opportunities, past lack of self belief, and being fed up with the same bad habits and cycles. For the most part I feel like I’ve always had a good work ethic, but I never went above and beyond. I never pushed myself past the boundaries, so I never developed a “great” work ethic.  Read More>>

Ashely Tapley

I inherited my strong work ethic from my family—they led by example. Coming from a blended family, I was lucky to have parents and stepparents who all worked incredibly hard to support us. Even now, at almost 80, my mom is returning to a part-time sales job. Growing up, my dad would wake me up on weekends with a loud hum of taps and ask, *“What’s your plan for today?”* Read More>>

Austin Gaines, Stephanie Gaines, Ariel Kobetz, And Shunit Roth

We are all self-starters, driven by hard work, time management, and intrinsic motivation- especially when it comes to [be realgoods to your body]. More than just a brand, it’s a passion-fueled labor of love, rooted in authenticity, wellness, and community. Read More>>

Jaxson Johnstone

I get my work ethic from just the joy of working. I love being busy and always doing something to keep me occupied. Read More>>

Jaylen Edwards

I come from a long line of doers. People who didn’t complain but just got it done. A woman bed ridden but still preparing meals for the masses. A mother battling to protect her 4 kids amid the crack epidemic in Harlem. A single mother overcoming domestic violence and homelessness. This is 3 generations of the woman in my life. Women that showed me that hard work and perseverance can make the sharpest curves in life easy to bend. Read More>>