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.
Karena Zolner
Midwest work ethic is the bedrock of my career—it’s non-negotiable. But let’s be honest, ‘hustle culture’ is often just a cover for terrible systems. My drive now is focused on implementing the tech and strategy—like software and AI—that makes my team so efficient, we get to truly live life to the fullest. If you’re grinding, you’re missing the point. Read more>>
Karen Campbell
“My work ethic comes from seeing the impact of consistency over time. Whether it was school, my early jobs, or building my company, I learned that showing up every day, even when things get tough, is what creates results. I carry that mindset into everything I do.” Read more>>
Barrett Lais
I didn’t develop my work ethic in a boardroom or learn it from a motivational book. I earned it one early morning at a time. My story started on the practice tee at the University of Arkansas, where I was a four-year letterman in one of the toughest conferences in college golf. Read more>>
Tyler Disney
My work ethic stems from my heart because, as a content creator, I’m not driven by likes and views. Instead, I’m passionate about creating and sharing my work with the world. Read more>>
Josh Maunus
I get my work ethic from having a musical obsession and a burning desire to be better than most. Also from fear of failing. With all the time and money i have invested, failure was never an option. Read more>>
Dancette Pratts
I get my ethics from a mix of the strong role models and influences in my life. First and foremost, my mother . I watched her work three jobs to take care of me and my brother. Her work ethic, resilience, and integrity shaped me tremendously. I also draw inspiration from the leaders and teachers who’ve poured into me along the way. Read more>>
Kyle Perera
My dad. He works 24/7 even on weekends & holidays. The grind does not stop ever , we work everyday like we have nothing or never succeeded. Read more>>
Jonathan & Michelle Davino
We both developed our work ethic individually from seeing how hard our parents worked when we were children. I (Jonathan) started working at 12 years old along side my dad mowing yards and raking leaves around the neighborhood. He used this as a way to teach me responsibility, people skills, and how to earn money at a very young age. Read more>>
Raisa Zarin
I developed my work ethic from a young age. I started working at 16 because I didn’t want to rely on financial support from my family. Over time, as my home environment became increasingly toxic and my mom essentially became a single parent, I had to step up as the main provider for my household. Read more>>
Tim Black
My work ethic comes from my upbringing. I lost both of my parents young, so I learned early that nothing in life is promised. That pushed me to grow up fast, take responsibility, and make something of myself. Read more>>
Chris Frausto
My Mother never sat still. Despite raising 5 children and maintaining at 70+ year old home and garden she still found time to volunteer, be creative, and earn her Juris Doctor degree. Read more>>
Jace Preme
I get my work ethic from a lot of places, but the biggest influence has always been my mom. Growing up, we went through hard times, but she never let me feel it. I didn’t even realize we were struggling until I got older, because she always found a way to make things work. Read more>>
Nikhil Suresh
First of all, I want to say — great questions – hard to choose one. But as for work ethic — to be completely honest with you, I’m really not sure – because I was horrible in school. Read more>>
Ashtyn Barbaree
I think my work ethic really comes from my mom. She raised me on her own, worked multiple jobs, and took me with her to grad school. I watched her become a civil engineer in a space where there weren’t many women, and when the housing market crashed, she found new ways to keep us going. Read more>>
Matthew Campbell
I get my work ethic from my Mother. She instilled a hard working- never say die attitude. It has helped me persevere and to never quit and keep going no matter how challenging things get. Read more>>
CharVon Claudrick
My work ethic was shaped by both necessity and choice. Growing up in a low-income household, I saw early on that nothing was going to be handed to me. I watched my family stretch every dollar and hustle just to make ends meet. That survival mode taught me how to grind, but it also taught me that I didn’t want to stay in that cycle. Read more>>
Shayan Umair
My work ethic was never learned. It gradually surfaced, but only after a culmination of long, quiet hours when no one was watching. The time in which effort felt less like obligation, and more like instinct. Read more>>
Sarah Rodriguez
Growing up we didn’t have a lot but we had everything we needed. My Daddy worked hard all day then came home and worked some more. His work ethic allowed for my Mom to be able to raise us kids as a stay at home mom. We grew up doing chores and earning any money that we needed. Things weren’t handed to us. Read more>>
Shem Louis
Great question because I’m just honestly realizing where it comes from. Two people immediately come to mind: My mother and Kobe Bryant! On a personal level, my mother is from the island of Jamaica. So for anyone who’s an immigrant, or has an immigrant background, then you are already familiar with the work ethic that inherently comes with that identity. Read more>>
Bernadette Armstrong
I get my work ethic from my parents. Both were brought up in the early 1920’s with many hardships, not to mention the drought. After they were married, they had 3 kids, – Baby Boomers – including me. Read more>>
Robert Q Jackson
I get my work ethic from being in the Air Force. I served for 12 years total. It elevated my entire approach to life. Growing up in Detroit gave me grit, the foundation of our ‘blue collar’ standard. But the military gave me structure. The discipline, daily standards, and accountability forced me to sharpen my work ethic in ways I never expected. Read more>>
Scott Silverman
I grew up in a Family Business. I was exposed to every aspect of the Business and was only allowed to move to the next step once I completed my work completely. Read more>>
Cora Sanfilippo
My work ethic really comes from growing up in gymnastics. From a young age, I learned discipline, consistency, and the importance of showing up even when things were hard. I’ve always been Type A, and what used to feel like perfectionism eventually became one of my biggest strengths. Read more>>
RJ Swist
I come from a long line of hardworking, blue-collar folks — people who believed that putting in an honest day’s work was just what you did. I was raised to know that family comes first, and having a job that lets you provide for them is your first responsibility. Read more>>
Tia Simone
My work ethic comes from many influences, starting with my parents. My father is a Jamaican immigrant, and as the first-born daughter of a first-generation family, I carried a lot of responsibility and “weight” early on. I watched my father work tirelessly to build his auto repair business within our community. Read more>>
Joselynn Campos
Honestly, my work ethic comes completely from my parents. They came to the U.S. at a young and basically had to build everything from scratch, even without knowing the language well. Watching them work so relentlessly, day in and day out, just showed me that you get out what you put in. Read more>>
Chantel Trujillo
My grandmother is the strongest person I know. She has lived a life defined by service, sacrifice, and perseverance. As a nurse, she cared for countless people with compassion. At home, she raised three children while helping my grandfather run a farm — a life that demanded endless energy and resilience. Read more>>
Danielle Almeyda
I grew up in a family of entrepreneurs and as a competitive athlete. My parents have raised my siblings and I to work hard, and to love people, and constantly reinforced to us that we should always give our best. Read more>>
Kenney Fitzpatrick
The easiest answer is my mother. She was constantly working for me, our home, our family and friends, and the person she even casually knew. She said to me when I was young ‘If you have lots, and someone has none, together you have some.’ And I’ve carried that with me ever since. Read more>>
Kat Wilson
This is a touchy subject for me. The truth is, my work ethic has always been an issue. Nothing feels worse than going through a divorce and being asked, “Why did you have to work so hard?” But it is what it is. I’m from a factory town, and both my parents see work and your job as the most important things in life. Read more>>
