Week 8 of 2026: Always Show Up

I still remember the late nights at Kinko’s—designing, printing, and trimming projects well into the early morning. Sometimes I’d get home just in time for a quick nap before an event. I worked like a madman back then, but I took pride in getting the job done. Decades later, I still can’t shake that work ethic. There’s nothing like the feeling of accomplishment. I don’t need praise or recognition. I’ve always been self-motivated.

Lately I’ve been wondering if work ethic can be taught. I’m watching a new generation of family and friends come up, and their expectations don’t always match the demands. They didn’t grow up the same way—no raking leaves, washing walls, or mowing lawns without expecting a payday. No three nights a week at church, getting home after 10 p.m. and still up early for school. Those rhythms built something in us: pride in a finished job, and spiritual principles that shaped integrity and a conscience. To this day, I pause to look over my yard after mowing and gardening. I still think before I make moral decisions. It seems work ethic grew from real responsibility at a young age. Yet when we have kids, we want their lives to be easier—and sometimes they miss the lessons.

I’m proud of my work ethic. I wear multiple hats. I track my wins. I learn from my mistakes. Above all, I show up—every day. When I asked my granddad his secret to a great career, he kept it simple: “Always show up,” he said. “Just be there.”