An ancient scholar best captured the essence of the phrase ‘Work Ethic” in a memorable rhyme:

“Good, Better, Best.  Never let it rest.

’Til good is better, and better is best.”  

—St Jerome (342—420)

No matter what one does, whether at play, in school, or at work, continual advancement along the good, better, best scale remains an excellent formula for obtaining fulfillment and self respect, as well as improving one’s development and earning other’s respect.

“Work ethic is a belief that hard work and diligence has a moral benefit and an inherent ability, virtue or value to strengthen character.”  (Work ethic, Wikipedia,)  Everyone knows someone who possesses a strong work ethic, and secretly wish that they had the fortitude to do as well.  However, the modern world presents many pleasurable distractions, including, smart phones, video games and television as well as other attractive distractions to avoid the task at hand.

A work ethic utilizes, sometimes unknowingly, a set of tenets to achieve success; such as: setting goals, prioritizing tasks, and maintaining diligence, otherwise known familiarly as “sticktuitiveness” — to stay on task until all tasks are done.

Unfortunately, some groups criticized the work ethic theme as a ruse to fool people to work hard for the benefit of others; i.e.  When coal miners work hard, they make the mine owners rich.  They replace the phrase “ work ethic” with a substitute phrase “work smart,” a contracted version of “Work smarter, not harder.” of Alan F. Mogensen (1901—1989), an Industrial Engineer and authority on work simplification. Mogensen focused on work process, unions, on making the elite richer.  Both utilized the “work smart” phrase with different twists.  

A further twist on the “work smart” concept:  Make yourself as valuable as you can to your employer.  How smart is it?  In times of economic downturn, the valuable stay; in normal times, they get promoted.  In addition to improving one’s value, it promotes one’s self respect and confidence.

Doing the best one can do, no matter the task, remains a worthy goal, which reaps benefits, notwithstanding that it may contribute to making someone else rich.