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Life-Changing Lessons From The Greatest Work Ethic Quotes

Today’s collection of work ethic quotes will inspire you to take your work ethic to the next level.

Having a great work ethic can be the difference between success and failure. It is the foundation for achieving your goals, no matter what those goals may be.

It’s not just about working hard, but it’s also about having an attitude of excellence in everything you do.

A great work ethic includes things like showing up on time, being organized and prepared, having good communication skills, staying positive regardless of setbacks and taking responsibility for mistakes.

So, if you’re looking for some motivation to stay on track and work hard, check out these work ethic quotes.

Work ethic quotes to help you to keep pushing

1. “I never feared about my skills because I put in the work. Work ethic eliminates fear. So if you put forth the work, what are you fearing? You know what you’re capable of doing and what you’re not.” – Michael Jordan

2. “The dictionary is the only place that comes before work. Work is the key to success, and hard work can help you accomplish anything.” – Vince Lombardi

3. “There is no substitute for hard work.” – Thomas Edison

4. “If you’ve got the confidence and the work ethic, you can make any dream come true.” – Bret Hart

5. “There may be people that have more talent than you, but there’s no excuse for anyone to work harder than you do.” – Derek Jeter

6. “Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment.” – Jim Rohn

7. “Always make a total effort when the odds are against you.” – Arnold Palmer

8. “Work ethic is important, unlike intelligence, athleticism, charisma, or any other natural attribute, it’s a choice.” – Mike Rowe

9. “Don’t be upset about the results you didn’t get from the work you didn’t do.” – Harvey Specter

10. “I am just an average man, but by God, I work harder than the average man.” – Winston Churchill

11. “You can control two things – your work ethic and your attitude about anything.” – Ali Krieger

12. “I’ve never really viewed myself as particularly talented. Where I excel is ridiculous, sickening, work ethic. While the other guy is sleeping, I’m working. While the other guy is eating, I’m working. If you don’t dedicate yourself to becoming better every single day, you will never be able to communicate with people the way that you want.” – Will Smith

13. “Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.” – Tim Notke

14. “Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it.” – Steve Jobs

15. There are only two options: Make progress or make excuses.” – Tony Robbins

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Quotes about work ethic for the workplace

16. “A disorganized workspace means disorganized work habits. A sloppy work environment equals sloppy results.” – Larry Winget

17. “Plan your work for today and everyday, then work your plan.” – Margaret Thatcher

18. “Professionalism shouldn’t be defined by a person’s paycheck, role or title. It should be defined by a person’s work ethic.” – Janna Cachola

19. “Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment.” – Jim Rohn

20. “If you set a good example, you need not worry about setting rules.” – Lee Lacocca

21. “Keep integrity and your work ethic intact. So what if that means working a little harder; an honorable character is your best calling card, and that’s something anyone can have!” – Kathy Ireland

22. “Set your goals high, and don’t stop till you get there.” – Bo Jackson

23. “Success isn’t always about greatness. It’s about consistency. Consistent hard work leads to success. Greatness will come.” – Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson

24. “If ethics are poor at the top, that behavior is copied down through the organization.” – Robert Noyce

25. “Work ethic is the most important component of being successful.” – Kliff Kingsbury

26. “The best preparation for good work tomorrow is to do good work today.” – Elbert Hubbard

27. “Apply yourself at whatever you do, whether you’re a janitor or taking your first summer job, because that work ethic will be reflected in everything you do in life.” – Tyler Perry

28. “By putting the employee first, the customer effectively comes first by default.” – Richard Branson

29. “Across professions, consistency is a direct product of work ethic.” – Harsha Bhogle

30. “Talent means nothing, while experience, acquired in humility and with hard work, means everything.” – Patrick Suskind

31. “Do not become small for people who refuse to grow.” – Steve Maraboli

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Motivational work ethic quotes to get you fired up

32. “There will be obstacles. There will be doubters. There will be mistakes. But with hard work, there are no limits.” – Michael Phelps

33. “Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do.” – Pele, Brazilian footballer

34. “It’s not about money or connections. It’s the willingness to outwork and out-learn everyone.” – Mark Cuban

35. “Talent is cheaper than table salt. What separates the talented individual from the successful one is a lot of hard work.” – Stephen King

36. “No ethic is as ethical as the work ethic.” – John Galbraith

37. “Your character, integrity, work ethic and hard work will bring you more in life than anything else.” – Jason Poston

38. “The best way to learn is by doing. The only way to build a strong work ethic is getting your hands dirty.” – Alex Spanos

39. “Genius is one percent inspiration, and ninety-nine percent perspiration.” – Thomas Edison

40. “At the end of the day, you put all the work in, and eventually it’ll pay off. It could be in a year, it could be in 30 years. Eventually, your hard work will pay off.” – Kevin Hart

41. “There are no shortcuts. Work for it.” – InspiredLifeHQ

42. “Don’t be busy, be productive.” 

43. “Inspiration is the windfall from hard work and focus.” – Helen Hanson

44. “Once you have commitment, you need the discipline and hard work to get you there.” – Haile Gebrselassie

45. “Be humble. Be hungry. And always be the hardest worker in the room.” – Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson

46. “Some people want it to happen. Some wish it would happen. Others make it happen.” – Michael Jordan

47. “All wealth is the product of labor.” – John Locke

48. “It’s easier to go down a hill than up it, but the view is much better at the top.” – Henry Ward Beecher

49. “Your purpose in life is to find your purpose and give your whole heart and soul to it.” – Buddha

50. “Work like there is someone working twenty-four hours a day to take it away from you.” – Mark Cuban

51. “If people are doubting how far you can go, go so far that you can’t hear them anymore.” – Michele Ruiz

52. “Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” – Thomas Edison

Work ethic quotes to keep striving in business

53. “You can’t have a million dollar goal with a one dollar work ethic.” – Stephen C. Hogan

54. “A mentor is someone who allows you to see the hope inside yourself.” – Oprah Winfrey

55. “There is no traffic jam along the extra mile.” – Roger Staubach

56. “When something is important enough, you do it even if the odds are not in your favor.” – Elon Musk

57. “What is success? I think it is a mixture of having a flair for the thing that you are doing; knowing that it is not enough, that you have got to have the hard work and a certain sense of purpose.” – Margaret Thatcher

58. “There is no elevator to success, you have to take the stairs.” – Zig Ziglar

59. “If the rules are such that you can’t make progress, then you have to fight the rules.” – Elon Musk

60. “Satisfaction lies in the effort, not in the attainment.” – Mahatma Gandhi

61. “I never dreamed of success. I worked for it.” – Estee Lauder

62. “All roads that lead to success have to pass through hard work boulevard at some point.” – Eric Thomas

63. “Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration. The rest of us just get up and go to work.” – Stephen King

64. “It’s hard to beat a person who never gives up.” – Babe Ruth

65. “Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway.” – Earl Nightingale

66. “All growth depends upon activity. There is no development physically or intellectually without effor, and effort means work.” – Calvin Coolidge

67. “People ask me what’s my secret: I keep working even when no one is looking.” – Darik Alexander

Inspiring quotes about work ethic

68. “If you really want to do something, you’ll find a way. If you don’t, you’ll find an excuse.” – Jim Rohn

69. “Working hard for something we don’t care about is called stress. Working hard for something we love is called passion.” – Simon Sinek

70. “I can accept failure. Everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying.” – Michael Jordan

71. “There’s no way around hard work. Embrace it.” – Roger Federer

72. “Just do the damn work.” – Bruce Gemmell

73. “Goodness and hard work are rewarded with respect.” – Luther Campbell

74. “Great things come from hard work and perseverance. No excuses.” – Kobe Bryant

75. “Hard work is a prison sentence only if it does not have meaning. Once it does, it becomes the kind of thing that makes you grab your wife around the waist and dance a jig.” – Malcom Gladwell

76. “Success requires action and a strong work ethic.” – Bob Proctor

77. “I can endure all these things through the power of the one who gives me strength.” – Philippians 4:13

78. “Without labor, nothing prospers.” – Sophocles

79. “Either you run the day, or the day runs you.” – Jim Rohn

80. “I am not a product of my circumstances. I am a product of my decisions.” – Stephen Covey

81. “Opportunities are usually disguised as hard work, so most people don’t recognize them.” – Ann Landers

82. “Dream big, stay positive, work hard, and enjoy the journey.” – Urijah Faber

Work ethic that can carry you through life

83. “We come from different backgrounds. Some people grow up with money in their pocket, or they have a certain last name; others have nothing. But it comes down to work ethic. That’s where we all play on the same playing field.” – Jessica Parker Kennedy

84. “Success is only meaningful and enjoyable if it feels like your own.” – Michelle Obama

85. “There is profit in hard work, but mere talk leads to poverty.” – Proverbs 14:23

86. “Without hard work, nothing grows but weeds.” – Gordon B. Hinckley

87. “I don’t count my sit-ups. I only start counting once it starts hurting.” – Muhammad Ali

88. “Success isn’t owned. It’s leased, and rent is due every day.” – J.J. Watt

89. “Successful people are not gifted; they just work hard then succeed on purpose.” 

90. “The only way to enjoy anything in this life is to earn it first.” – Ginger Rogers

91. “I want to be able to look back and say, ‘I’ve done everything I can, and I was successful.’ I don’t want to look back and say I should have done this or that.” – Michael Phelps

92. “Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle.” – Abraham Lincoln

93. “Too many people want the appearance of winning rather than the practices and hard work that create a true champion.” – Bishop T.D. Jakes

94. “Parents should plant deeply the seed of the work ethic into the hearts and habits of their children.” – Joseph B. Wirthlin

95. “Change will not come if we wait for some other person or if we wait for some time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for.” – Barack Obama

96. “If your success is earned through hard work and honesty. Never apologize for it.” – Frank Sonnenberg

97. “Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working.” – Pablo Picasso

What is a strong work ethic?

A strong work ethic is a set of values based on hard work and diligence.

It’s the belief that with enough effort, anything can be accomplished.

It’s an attitude that every task should be approached with dedication and commitment to excellence. And it’s the idea that success doesn’t come without putting in the effort.

Why is work ethic a strength both personally and professionally?

Having a strong work ethic is a strength both personally and professionally for many reasons.

Personally, it provides structure and discipline to your life that helps you achieve more in the long run and leads to greater satisfaction with yourself.

This can also help increase self-confidence as one will see their effort pay off in tangible ways.

Professionally, having a strong work ethic allows for greater success in the workplace.

It shows an employer that you take initiative and are willing to dedicate yourself to the task at hand.

This can lead to promotions or other opportunities within the company because employers recognize hard-working employees who value productivity and dedication.

It can also help build stronger relationships with colleagues as they will respect you more when they see your commitment to doing great work.

Overall, having a strong work ethic is invaluable for achieving success in any field or endeavor.

It enables individuals to reach their goals by demonstrating responsibility, reliability, drive and determination.

Final Thoughts

I hope today’s work ethic quotes have inspired you to achieve more and work harder.

It’s never too late to develop a great work ethic. Even if you feel like you haven’t been living up to your full potential personally or professionally.

There are steps you can take to build better habits and improve your overall performance.

Have patience with yourself and remember that success doesn’t happen overnight.

If you keep going, stay consistent, eventually, your hard work will pay off.

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InspiredLife ShopWear Your Motivation. Inspire Your Space.