150 Best Quotes about Work Ethics and Integrity

Work ethic is as important as skills that help you excel at the workplace or in your business.

Whether you’re an entrepreneur, employee, or student, if you stay honest with yourself and do the work rightfully even when no one is watching, you’ll definitely taste success in the long run.

In this article, I’ll share some of the best quotes on work ethics and integrity that’ll boost your productivity at the workplace.

Share these quotes with your friends and colleagues to show your professionalism.

Inspirational Integrity Quotes to Help You Become Your Better Self at Work

1. “Developing a good work ethic is key. 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

2. “Real integrity is doing the right thing, knowing that nobody’s going to know whether you did it or not.” – Oprah Winfrey

3. “Our deeds determine us, as much as we determine our deeds.” – George Eliot

4. “To give real service, you must add something which cannot be bought or measured with money, and that is sincerity and integrity.” – Donald Adams

5. “People with integrity do what they say they are going to do. Others have excuses.” – Dr. Laura Schlessinger

6. “If you believe in unlimited quality and act in all your business dealings with total integrity, the rest will take care of itself.” – Frank Perdue

7. When you are able to maintain your own highest standards of integrity – regardless of what others may do – you are destined for greatness. – Napoleon Hill

8. “It takes courage to “join soul and role” in organizations that make it unsafe to show up with integrity and act in alignment with it. But when we find that courage, our lives become more whole, our work reaches deeper, the people we serve are better served, and, in ways large and small, the world becomes a better place.” – Parker J. Palmer

9. “We look for three things when we hire people. We look for intelligence, we look for initiative or energy, and we look for integrity. And if they don’t have the latter, the first two will kill you, because if you’re going to get someone without integrity, you want them lazy and dumb.” – Warren Buffet

10. “With integrity, you have nothing to fear since you have nothing to hide. With integrity, you will do the right thing so that you will have no guilt.” ― Zig Ziglar

11. “Don’t be afraid to give your best to what seemingly are small jobs. Every time you conquer one, it makes you that much stronger. If you do the little jobs well, the big ones will tend to take care of themselves.” – William Patten

12. “Our core values and business ethics will always be paramount in all that we do, and we are always looking to do the right thing and settle claims fairly and accurately.” – Tricia Griffith.

13. “A man is truly ethical only when he obeys the compulsion to help all life which he is able to assist, and shrinks from injuring anything that lives.” – Albert Schweitzer.

14. “Keep true, never be ashamed of doing right; decide on what you think is right and stick to it.”- George Eliot.

15. “Ethics or simple honesty is the building block upon which our whole society is based, and business is a part of our society, and it’s integral to the practice of being able to conduct business, that you have a set of honest standards.” – Kerry Stokes.

16. “The strongest thing that any human being has going for itself is its own integrity and its own heart. As soon as you start veering away from that, the solidity that you need to stand up for what you believe in just isn’t going to be there.” – Herbie Hancock

17. “Six essential qualities that are the key to success include sincerity, personal integrity, humility, courtesy, wisdom, and charity.” – Dr. William Menninger

18. I never feared 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

19. Trying hard and working hard is its own reward. It feeds the soul. It affirms your will and your power. And it radiates from you, lighting the way for all those who see you. – Charles M. Blow

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

21. “There are seven things that will destroy us: Wealth without work; Pleasure without conscience; Knowledge without character; Religion without sacrifice; Politics without principle; Science without humanity; Business without ethics.” — Mahatma Gandhi

22. “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.” — Steve Jobs

23. “The price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand, and the determination that whether we win or lose, we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand.” — Vince Lombardi

24. “Character is doing the right thing when nobody’s looking. There are too many people who think that the only thing that’s right is to get by, and the only thing that’s wrong is to get caught.” — J.C. Watts

25. “Don’t watch the clock; do what it does. Keep going.” — Sam Levenson

26. “Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one is watching.” — C.S. Lewis

27. “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that count.” — Winston Churchill

28. “The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary.” — Vidal Sassoon

29. “Without hard work and discipline, it is difficult to be a top professional.” — Jahangir Khan

30. “It is the working man who is the happy man. It is the idle man who is the miserable man.” — Benjamin Franklin

31. “Your reputation is more important than your paycheck, and your integrity is worth more than your career.” — Ryan Freitas

32. “I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have.” — Thomas Jefferson

33. “The best way to predict the future is to create it.” — Peter Drucker

34. “The harder you work for something, the greater you’ll feel when you achieve it.” — Anonymous

35. “Integrity is the most valuable and respected quality of leadership. Always keep your word.” — Brian Tracy

36. “I’m a greater believer in luck, and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it.” — Thomas Jefferson

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

38. “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.” — Pelé

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

40. “The only thing that overcomes hard luck is hard work.” — Harry Golden

41. “Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.” — Albert Schweitzer

42. “The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” — Steve Jobs

43. “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.” — Steve Jobs

44. “Your work is your responsibility; you can never say you did not have the opportunity.” — Gautama Buddha

45. “To give real service, you must add something which cannot be bought or measured with money, and that is sincerity and integrity.” — Douglas Adams

46. “Your work is a reflection of your thinking. If your thinking is sloppy, your work will be sloppy. If you are a round peg in a square hole, you will not be happy in your work.” — Zig Ziglar

47. “Don’t aim for success if you want it; just do what you love and believe in, and it will come naturally.” — David Frost

48. “A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination, and hard work.” — Colin Powell

49. “Hard work keeps the wrinkles out of the mind and spirit.” — Helena Rubinstein

50. “Integrity is the essence of everything successful.” — R. Buckminster Fuller

Motivational Work Ethics Quotes To Inspire You To Be The Best

51. “Integrity is the foundation upon which all other values are built.” — Brian Tracy

52. “People rarely succeed unless they have fun in what they are doing.” – Dale Carnegie

53. “Success means doing the best we can with what we have. Success is the doing, not the getting; in the trying, not the triumph. Success is a personal standard, reaching for the highest that is in us, becoming all that we can be.” – Zig Ziglar

54. “Your ability to discipline yourself to set clear goals, and then to work toward them every day, will do more to guarantee your success than any other single factor.” – Brian Tracy

55. “When I meet successful people, I ask about who they attribute their success to. It is usually the same: persistence, hard work, and hiring good people.” – Kiana Tom

56. “We think, mistakenly, that success is the result of the amount of time we put in at work, instead of the quality of time we put in.” – Arianna Huffington

57. “There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.” – Colin Powell

58. “Ethics or simple honesty is the building blocks upon which our whole society is based, and business is a part of our society, and it’s integral to the practice of being able to conduct business, that you have a set of honest standards.” – Kerry Stokes

59. “Some people dream of success, while other people get up every morning and make it happen.” – Wayne Huizenga

60. “My biggest attribute to any success that I have had is hard work. There really is no substitute for working hard.” – Maria Bartiromo

61. “Developing a good work ethic is a key to success. 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

62. “I wasn’t the biggest, I wasn’t the fastest, I wasn’t the strongest, and then I bought into something called work ethic.” – Ray Lewis

63. “For me, the starting point for everything – before strategy, tactics, theories, managing, organizing, philosophy, methodology, talent, or experience – is work ethic.” ~ Bill Walsh

64. “The land of opportunity. You need the right people and the right work ethic and you can accomplish anything.” – Bob Poser

65. “A big part of my success is never letting negative thoughts cloud my mind because that affects your work ethic.” ~ Morgan Wallen

66. “You can’t have a million-dollar dream with a minimum wage work ethic.” – Stephen Hogan

67. “Perseverance is the hard work you do after you get tired of doing the hard work you already did.” – Newt Gingrich

68. “Work and you’ll get what you need; work harder and you’ll get what you want.” – Prabakran Thirumalai

69. “Try not to become a man of success, but a man of value. Look around at how people want to get more out of life than they put in. A man of value will give more than he receives. Be creative, but make sure that what you create is not a curse for mankind.” – Albert Einstein

70. “Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand. The sun’s rays do not burn until brought to a focus.” – Alexander Graham Bell

71. “I’m a greater believer in luck, and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it.” – Thomas Jefferson

72. “Do not be too moral. You may cheat yourself out of much of life. Aim above morality. Be not simply good; be good for something.” – Henry David Thoreau

73. “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.” – Steve Jobs

74. “My grandfather once told me that there were two kinds of people: those who do the work and those who take the credit. He told me to try to be in the first group; there was much less competition.” – Indira Gandhi

75. “One of the symptoms of an approaching nervous breakdown is the belief that one’s work is terribly important.” – Bertrand Russell

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

77. “Happiness is the real sense of fulfillment that comes from hard work.” – Joseph Barbara

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

79. “If your dream is a big dream, and if you want your life to work on the high level that you say you do, there’s no way around doing the work it takes to get you there.” – Joyce Chapman

80. “Don’t be afraid of hard work. Nothing worthwhile comes easily. Don’t let others discourage you or tell you that you can’t do it. In my day, I was told women didn’t go into chemistry. I saw no reason why we couldn’t.” – Gertrude B. Elion

81. “Dreams can come true, but there is a secret. They’re realized through the magic of persistence, determination, commitment, passion, practice, focus, and hard work. They happen a step at a time, manifested over years, not weeks.” – Elbert Hubbard

82. “I would visualize things coming to me. It would just make me feel better. Visualization works if you work hard. That’s the thing. You can’t just visualize and go eat a sandwich.” – Jim Carrey

83. If you’ve got the confidence and the work ethic, you can make any dream come true. – Bret Har

84. The best way to learn is by doing. The only way to build a strong work ethic is by getting your hands dirty. ~ Alex Spanos

85. Developing a good work ethic is a key to success. Apply yourself to 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

86. Our deep respect for the land and its harvest is the legacy of generations of farmers who put food on our tables, preserved our landscape, and inspired us with a powerful work ethic. ~ James H. Douglas

87. 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

88. Everyone talks about age, but it’s not about age. It’s about work ethic. Winning never gets old. – Lisa Leslie

89. If you’re going to preach dedication, work ethic, teamwork, unselfishness, and being part of a team to accomplish a common goal, you have to live it ~ you can’t just talk about it. – Chris Mullin

90. “Winners embrace hard work. They love the discipline of it, the trade-off they’re making to win. Losers, on the other hand, see it as punishment. And that’s the difference.” – Lou Holtz

91. The essence of professionalism is the focus on the work and its demands while we are doing it, to the exclusion of all else. ~ Steven Pressfield

92. Professionalism is not about what work you do; it is about how well you do the work. ~ Amit Kalantri

93. People who work in an environment where doing their best is recognized have a better chance of feeling good about their work. ~ Marilyn Suttle

94. Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration; the rest of us get up and go to work. ~ Stephen King

95. If you have the confidence and the work ethic, you can make any dream come true. – Bret Hart

96. You can control two things: your work ethic and your attitude about anything. – Ali Krieger

97. “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

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

99. And where I excel is my ridiculous, sickening work ethic. You know, while the other guy’s sleeping? I’m working. – Will Smith

100. Choices and decisions must be supported by your passion, resolve, and a productive work ethic. If these meet opportunities, your success has finally come! – Archibald Marwizi

The Best Quotes on Ethics and Integrity for Success

101. Across professions, consistency is a direct product of work ethic. – Harsha Bhogle

102. There’s a lot that’s out of your control. But the one thing that you can control is your work ethic. – Christen Press

103. All you need is heart, work ethic, and to dream big. – Kylie Bunbury

104. “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

105. I didn’t come from a wealthy family. My dad told us if we wanted to spend money, we had to earn it. So I developed an early work ethic. – Johnny Iuzzini

106. I can only control myself, my actions, my work ethic, and my attitude. – Ali Krieger

107. In terms of instilling the values of mental toughness and work ethic, discipline is the gift that keeps on giving. – William Baldwin

108. “No, we don’t control who our parents are. We don’t control what color we are. We don’t control what home we are born into. But we control our attitude. We control our work ethic. We control our drive and our commitment.” – Dabo Swinney

109. I pride myself on what I do every night. I pride myself on my work ethic and how I carry myself. I want to be mature in my approach but focused and disciplined. – Malcolm Brogdon

110. I have a work ethic. If I say I’m going to do something, I do it. – Viggo Mortensen

111. We didn’t have a lot when I was growing up, and it’s the best thing that happened to me because I appreciate everything. I developed a strong work ethic, and I don’t take anything for granted.” – Sarah-Jessica Parker

112. In real estate, if you’re hustling and maintaining a good work ethic, you’ll get deals. – Matt Leinart

113. If you’ve worked in Australia, you can’t get away with bad behavior like showing up late. We take our work ethic very seriously. – Margot Robbie

114. “I go to class every day with the future Facebook and Twitter and Google employees, the future innovators and entrepreneurs who might have the next big thing. Knowing that and seeing their success and work ethic makes you want to be successful. It impresses me every day. It humbles me, too.” – Christian McCaffrey

115. “Developing a good work ethic is key. 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

116. “Military veterans have unique skills, experience, and qualifications that are invaluable to today’s workforce, including teamwork and leadership skills, the proven ability to learn quickly, a strong work ethic, dedication, and the ability to work under pressure.” – Tae Yoo

117. “Have the courage to say no. Have the courage to face the truth. Do the right thing because it is right. These are the magic keys to living your life with integrity.” – W. Clement Stone

118. What I look for are guys who work hard, have a great work ethic, and embrace that underdog mentality a little bit. And certainly, there is no substitute for toughness. – Sean McDermott

119. I think basketball IQ, work ethic, and competitiveness are probably the most important things in a basketball player. – Seth Curry

120. “People don’t understand that when I grew up, I was never the most talented. I was never the biggest. I was never the fastest. I certainly was never the strongest. The only thing I had was my work ethic, and that’s been what has gotten me this far.” – Tiger Woods

121. This is my work ethic: I do not want to raise my future kids where I was raised, and I know the only way to do it is by working, working, working, working, working. – Cardi B

122. My parents instilled a very strong work ethic in me from a young age, fortunately. – Matthew Gray Gubler

123. There was no way we’d ever get spoiled. Daddy made sure to instill in us a work ethic. – Kathie Lee Gifford

124. “Our deep respect for the land and its harvest is the legacy of generations of farmers who put food on our tables, preserved our landscape, and inspired us with a powerful work ethic.” – James H. Douglas, Jr.

125. “I wouldn’t be where I am right now and have the right work ethic and discipline if it weren’t for all the indie films I did. We weren’t pampered and were pretty much on our own.” – Coco Martin

126. I don’t want to get lost in everything. I want to keep the same work ethic. – Juice Wrld

127. My work ethic is crazy. I’m a producer, an artist, and a video director. – Travis Scott

128. The Marines gave me a really strong sense of discipline and a work ethic that kicks in at my job. – Drew Carey

129. I think I am against stereotypes. Generally, Asian guys are more quiet – they study and have a good work ethic. Generally, I have none of those things. – Bobby Lee

130. “Unfortunately, I think a lot of people are affected more by the idea of fame than the actual work ethic involved. A lot of them want to be reality TV-type people who don’t do anything.” – Katy Perry

131. The greatness of a man is not in how much wealth he acquires but in his integrity and his ability to affect those around him positively. – Bob Marley

132. “We learned about honesty and integrity – that the truth matters… that you don’t take shortcuts or play by your own set of rules… and success doesn’t count unless you earn it fair and square.” – Michelle Obama

133. When you are able to maintain your own highest standards of integrity – regardless of what others may do – you are destined for greatness. – Napoleon Hill

134. Integrity gives you real freedom because you have nothing to fear since you have nothing to hide. – Zig Ziglar

135. The qualities of a great man are vision, integrity, courage, understanding, the power of articulation, and profundity of character. – Dwight D. Eisenhower

136. Moral authority comes from following universal and timeless principles like honesty, integrity, and treating people with respect. – Stephen Covey

137. Honor your commitments with integrity. — Les Brown

138. Image is what people think we are. Integrity is what we really are. — John C. Maxwell

139. To give real service, you must add something that cannot be bought or measured with money, and that is sincerity and integrity. – Douglas Adams

140. Have the courage to say no. Have the courage to face the truth. Do the right thing because it is right. These are the magic keys to living your life with integrity. – W. Clement Stone

141. It takes courage to create a meaningful life of integrity. It also requires good company. And practice. – Shelley Francis

142. A life lived with integrity – even if it lacks the trappings of fame and fortune is a shining star in whose light others may follow in the years to come. — Denis Waitley

143. Live so that when your children think of fairness, caring, and integrity, they think of you. — H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

144. Openness, respect, integrity – these are principles that need to underpin pretty much every other decision that you make. – Justin Trudeau

145. The foundation stones for balanced success are honesty, character, integrity, faith, love, and loyalty. – Zig Ziglar

146. You can’t, in sound morals, condemn a man for taking care of his own integrity. It is his clear duty. — Joseph Conrad

147. Integrity is the essence of everything successful. – R. Buckminster Fuller

148. Integrity is the seed for achievement. It is the principle that never fails. – Earl Nightingale

149. People of integrity and honesty not only practice what they preach, they are what they preach. — David A. Bednar

150. You are in integrity when the life you are living on the outside matches who you are on the inside. – Alan Cohen

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