Why are people afraid to talk about work ethic these days?   You still need to tell a young kid fresh out of high school that they need to put in their time, work hard, and pay their dues to get ahead; that easy money doesn’t really come easy and that there is always a catch if it comes too easy.  I’m not sure how the nature/nurture principle applies here.  But, I do wonder whether you can instill a work ethic into someone who doesn’t currently have it.  For me, I ask myself five questions to help me assess whether I am working at maintaining a strong work ethic.

1. Am I striving for good or great work ethic?  This is about my inner energy level to get things done.  Am I maintaining self motivation at a high enough level to work hard at what I do, understand what is expected of me, and follow through to completion?
2. Do I have “attitude” or “can do”? There is a big difference between a person with a negative attitude and a person who positively accepts new tasks.  People with a strong work ethic have a positive attitude.  They don’t shy away from new tasks, but look at them as a challenge to solve a problem.  Never say “no”.  If you say no, you have already closed the door on a new opportunity or learning experience.
3. Do I give extra effort or enough effort?  I shouldn’t accept something less than perfection in what I do. While I can’t be perfect, I should strive to go the extra mile in what I’m doing, taking extra effort to make sure a task is done right the first time.
4. Am I always learning or do I already know enough?  I need to maintain my innate curiosity and always want to learn more.  New ideas and new information allow my mind to stay in top form and gives me fresh tools to better handle my daily work functions.   I should never be afraid to improve my understanding of the world around me.
5. Do I ask “Why me?” or “Why not me?”  I should never say “Why me?”  Instead, I should always be ready and prepared to accept any challenge that comes my way.  By positively saying, “Why not me?” I embrace the possibility that I’m up for any challenge and can get things done.

What work ethic do you present to those around you?  Can you learn to improve upon your current work ethic? Always challenge yourself to improve.  Don’t be afraid to ask yourself is my current work ethic as strong as it should be.

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