What is “Work Ethic”? 3 Steps to Develop It In Both Career & Personal Life
Did you know that developing a strong ‘work ethic’ can be just as beneficial in your relationships & home life as it is in your career? I saw Brad Pitt running on the beach in Huntington Beach, California once when I was 13 years old… well, at least that’s what my dad told me I would have seen had I kept my agreement and joined him on our usual morning run even though we were on vacation. To this day, I don’t know if my dad really saw Brad Pitt (or if he even knew who Brad Pitt was) but the lesson he was trying to teach me has stuck with me 20+ years later. Following through on my agreements & honoring my obligations - aka developing a strong work ethic - has always been an important part of both my career and my personal life. When I reflect back upon where I am today in both my career with a doctorate in electrical engineering and as a thriving wife and mother of 6, I realize the importance of this lesson of developing a strong work ethic & how it has brought success and joy to all areas of my life. What exactly is “work ethic” & how can you develop it in both your career & your personal life? On this week’s blog & video episode. I’m sharing what “work ethic” is & 3 steps to continually develop a strong work ethic in both your career and your personal life.
What is “Work Ethic”?
3 Steps to Develop It In Both Career & Personal Life
What is “Work Ethic”?
When I reflect upon where I am in both my career and personal life, I am struck by the importance of developing a strong work ethic. Continually developing a strong work ethic has allowed me to achieve the current level of career success & personal peace that I have today as a working mom of 6. How I arrive at work is the same way I arrive at home and in my personal and professional relationships - eager to learn, ready to do the hard work, and with a humble sense of openness and collaboration. I bring with the same level of intentionality and hard work regardless of the “work” I am setting out to accomplish. In order to have the energy and capacity to maintain this level of work ethic, there are a few key steps I take to keep me on this path to success while maintaining a true sense of inner peace. Here are 3 steps to develop a strong work ethic in both your career and your personal life…
3 Steps to Develop Work Ethic in Both Career & Personal Life
STEP #1 Honor Your Agreements & Commitments
Whether my dad really saw Brad Pitt running on the beach or not, he showed me what it felt like to miss out on something because I failed to honor my commitment. Start developing a strong work ethic in your own life by honoring every agreement or commitment you make - no matter how big or how small. If you said you’re going to exercise 3 times per week then schedule it in your calendar and follow through regardless of how you feel in the moment when it’s time to lace up your shoes and get to work. If you committed to a project at work, then take the necessary steps to make it happen regardless of the hard work required. Once you begin to develop the ability to follow through on your commitments, you will begin to build a stronger sense of confidence and trust in yourself (& you may notice a greater sense of control over your time and energy levels, too!)
STEP #2 Fill Up Your Own Cup First
In order to give my best effort to my work in both career and personal life, I devote giving care to myself first. I follow the philosophy that if my own cup is full then it can naturally overflow to others around me. If I’m feeling centered and grounded then the energy I bring to my work and the shared energy around me can help others fulfill their own cups and find their own sense of clarity and calm. Begin by honoring the small micro-commitments you make to yourself every day (for example, waking up the first time the alarm goes off, eating a healthy breakfast, or sending that email you’ve been putting off all week), and soon you’ll begin to build an unstoppable force for good within yourself that is your work ethic.
STEP #3 Show Up
Now that you’re beginning to honor your agreements and commitments, it’s time to show up. “Showing up” means you put forth your best effort in everything you do - rather than just the bare minimum effort to meet your obligation. . If you make a commitment or obligation, I complete that commitment to the best of my abilities. How do you show up? How do you show up for the agreements you make to yourself & to others? Do you also bring that same level of intentionality and hard work to your relationships and taking care of your home? How you show up to honor your commitments matters. Start showing up in your commitments with the best of your abilities every single day & you will begin to see the confidence build within you when you start to see you can keep your agreements… and this confidence allows you to move forward in a positive way, building a stronger work ethic with every time you make the choice to simply show up to the best of your abilities.
I would love to continue this conversation via email, direct message, or even by starting private life coaching below… I want to help bring more moments of joy and fulfillment to your life and help you harness the power of work ethic and mindset coaching to achieve a greater level of success and peace at the same time. Scroll down to see if “life coaching” is right for you… Click the “LET’S CHAT” button below to set up a free 15 min strategy session!
Listen to the Video BELOW
Make sure to tune in to today’s video episode for a more in-depth look at developing work ethic & how to use it to achieve both success and joy in both career and personal life.