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.
Jared Brooks
My work ethic comes from two main influences: my upbringing and my experience wrestling in high school. Growing up, I watched my parents work tirelessly. My dad worked every third day at the fire department and picked up part-time jobs on his off days to provide for our family. Read more>>
Gianmarco ‘3zzinho’ Trezzi
My work ethic stems from the deep connection I have with what I do. Working in a creative field, I’m lucky enough to turn my passion into my profession, and that drives me to approach every project with complete dedication. When I dive into an idea or a new challenge, I always give 100% of myself… Read more>>
Bussdown PESOS
My work ethic come from me wanting to go hard as I can at all times. I have to much to lose to just quit . It’s a lot of competition going on but I focus on myself and move at my own pace. Read more>>
John de Vera
I’d say it really started with my family. Growing up in Tondo, Manila, we lived a pretty modest life — it was me, my older brother, and my parents. When my dad decided to pursue photography full-time in the 90s, with my mom taking care of all the admin work, that’s when I got to see what hard work and teamwork really meant. Read more>>
Marcedes Carroll
I’d say I get my work ethic from my Mother. She has always been a doer & therefore I have followed in her footsteps. We are not ones to sit for very long! Read more>>
Gaby Martinez
My work ethic comes from gratitude — for being able to do what I love, and wanting to give it my best every time. It’s not just about effort; it’s about respect for the craft and the people I serve.” “I learned it from my parents — they led by example. It taught me that effort and care are a reflection of who you are.” Read more>>
Eric Mathis
When people ask me where my work ethic comes from, the truth is—it’s rooted in so many places. It’s something I consciously work on every day, something I take real pride in, and something that requires consistent effort to maintain. It isn’t a switch I flipped one day; it’s a foundation that’s been built over years of experience, influence, and personal growth. Read more>>
Mike Komara
I was lucky to have parents that helped instill a strong work ethic in me when I was growing up. When I wanted to buy something, I had to go shovel snow or mow lawns. If I wanted to go somewhere or do something, I had to get good grades. Read more>>
Kevin Ha
My work ethic is deeply rooted in my upbringing. My parents, immigrants from Vietnam, worked very hard to build a life here in the United States. Every morning, they left for work and never complained. They simply did what needed to be done to provide for the family. Read more>>
Tanya Carson
My strong work ethic is definitely something I inherited from my Dad. I remember growing up watching him, and he always instilled in me the importance of hard work, dedication, and perseverance. He consistently demonstrated these values through his actions, showing me that success isn’t just about luck; it’s about putting in the effort and staying committed to your goals, no matter the challenges. Read more>>
Kemisha Levy
From an early age, I learned that nothing worth having comes easily. I saw firsthand how dedication could transform struggle into progress. My mother didn’t complain about challenges; she met them head-on, with grace and grit. That example instilled in me a deep respect for perseverance — not just working hard when things are going well, but especially when they aren’t. Read more>>
Faredae Miller
I think it’s just a part of who I am. Ever since I was young I liked doing things like chores, mowing the grass, shoveling snow etc, Maybe partly because I liked the feeling I got when I was acknowledged for it. But I also just don’t like to sit still. Every job I’ve had I worked hard and quickly moved into management positions. Read more>>
Molly Blakeley
My parents. From the time I was a small child my parents were serial entrepreneurs. Read more>>
Elizabeth Moses
This is a great question. Like many people – my work ethic was built out of necessity. Growing up in poverty is a huge driving factor. I knew that if something in my life didn’t change the cycle would just continue with me. Once that ball started rolling – it was easier for me to put the work in to get the positive results. Read more>>
Del Kary
Family and close friends. The people I work with all have a drive that is contagious and can literally bring you from 50 to 100 just by being around them. Also being taught at a young age by my parents that hard work and dedication to whatever I was passionate about was the only way to reach your dreams. Read more>>
Roc Gray
My ‘God given grind’ was sparked by my father’s work ethic. His leadership and commit to doing his best for our household gave me all of the fuel and tools I needed to work hard without thinking twice about it. Read more>>
Alex Hoskyns
A lot of people know me as the girl who always has a crazy schedule and says yes to some of the most out-of-the-box jobs. While balance is important, I strongly believe that every small opportunity leads to the next, and some of them open doors that you would never expect. Read more>>
Lisa Garcia
I get my work ethic from my dad. My siblings and I were raised to work for whatever we want and I started my first job at 15. I worked a variety of jobs through high school while managing theater and athletics. My dad was and still is very persistent in never giving up no matter how difficult life is or what you’re going through. Read more>>
Tiffany Ross
My work ethic was built from the ground up—through family, faith, and the desire to create something lasting with my own two hands. Growing up, I watched people around me grind for what they had. Nobody handed them success; they built it piece by piece. That taught me early that hard work isn’t optional—it’s a reflection of character. Read more>>
Christiane Lang
I think my work ethic really comes from how I grew up and the values I was raised with. Where I come from, you show respect through hard work and reliability — it’s just part of who you are. When I moved abroad, that was tested in a whole new way. Read more>>
Erin Eriksson
I primarily get my work ethic from my parents. My parents were both educators who worked nearly all the time while raising four kids, including my brother with special needs. We had a family expectation that each child did their best in school, played a sport, and learned an instrument, even though we all picked very different activities. Read more>>
Iris Scot
When I was a little girl, both my parents were self-employed, working at home. I saw with my little baby eyes that you could pick a subject that interested in you, and then invent a work flow. My parents showed me that you could set your own goals and deadlines, pull ideas out of thin air. Read more>>
David Palmer
Oh, that’s easy! It comes from being excited about what I do. I’ve been painting since I was a little kid, and I can’t imagine ever stopping. Every time I start a new project, it’s like being a beginner again. There are so many things to learn and figure out. Read more>>
Stacey Kuehn
A strong work ethic does absolutely run in my family, aside from that I truly love what I do and where my work has taken me! I love going over hairstyling looks and textures I have created in the past and then reworking everything into a new direction. Read more>>
Christy Chen
My work ethic comes from a mix of how I was raised and the kind of work I do. My parents taught me early on to take responsibility for my actions — to admit mistakes without feeling embarrassed, and to see them as chances to grow. Read more>>
Sara Phillips
I get my work ethic from my parents. I grew up in a household where both of my parents worked in creative industries — my dad as an architectural photographer and my mom as a designer. They each ran their own businesses, so I was surrounded by entrepreneurship from a young age. Read more>>
Darius Lewis
My work ethic didn’t come from comfort or easy examples. It came from survival. Even though my parents struggled with addiction, and my home life was chaotic, I was surrounded by hustle. My dad might’ve been hustling for the wrong reasons — stealing, flipping things, doing whatever it took for a fix — but what I absorbed as a kid was the grind itself. Read more>>
Elizabeth Jabar
I come from a family of builders and organizers. My grandfather came to the United States from Lebanon as a child and settled in a small mill town in Maine, like so many other immigrant communities across the US. Read more>>
Kyle Sanguin
I get my work ethic from a lifetime of doing demanding but rewarding work. I spent 15 years as a wildland firefighter, with most of that time in crew boss roles. That kind of work teaches you to show up every day with focus, resilience, and responsibility—not just for yourself, but for your crew. Read more>>
Eddy Bucardo
I believe I got my work ethic from watching my parents work tooth and nail as immigrants in Canada. They gave my sister and me a life that was better than their own, but they never took challenges off our plates. They wanted us to learn the lessons needed to become competent, disciplined, and goal-driven adults. Read more>>
Delaila Catalino
My work ethic started long before I ever had a job title. Growing up, my mom always instilled in me that no matter what role you had — you had to be the best at it. Whether it was school, a summer job, or helping around the house, the standard was excellence. Read more>>
Victoria Donahue
I am thankful to say that I come from a large Mexican-American family that is rooted in faith. While there are many stories I can tell to paint a picture of our background, the common denominator is belief in God. This faith drives our daily actions towards excellence. Read more>>
Elaine Hong
Definitely my grandma. She had an incredible work ethic and was the hardest-working person I’ve ever known. I almost never remember her not working. I grew up hearing her sewing machine late into the night. It paid the bills and supported our family, but it was also an act of love. Those memories of watching her have stayed with me my whole life. Read more>>
Lindsey Perryman – Dunn
My self drive was instilled in me as a child both of my parents worked very hard to provide for our family. The sky is the limit and Perryman’s (maiden name) never quit was our family motto. Read more>>
Gerald Raphael
My parents. Both my father and mother seeing them work to try to make things happen. My mentors in the Army during the time when I served. They instilled in me to always maintain a level of professionalism. Make yourself open to opportunities that come your way and always stay ready for when they do. Read more>>
Nicholas Tana
I’d like to say I was born with my work ethic, but that would be a lie—and I try to save my fiction for the page. The truth is, I got my work ethic the old-fashioned way: through survival. I grew up watching people work themselves half to death just to stay afloat. Read more>>
Gary Thomas
I got my work ethic learning from my parents, who worked diligently every day to ensure my brother and I had everything we needed growing up. When we were younger we had chores and helped out around the house. We learned that things cost money and that if we wanted something, we had to earn it. Read more>>
