Step 1 of 4 · Foundation
What does a strong
work ethic actually mean?
Before we measure it, we need to understand it. A work ethic is not just about being busy — it is about how you show up for the things that matter, and why.
A work ethic is a set of values and habits that guide how seriously you take your responsibilities — whether in school, at home, in relationships, or in your goals. It is not about working non-stop. It is about bringing intention, honesty, and effort to whatever you have committed to doing.
What it looks like in real life
Starting without being pushed
Finishing what you begin
Showing up even when it is hard
Doing your best, not just enough
Being honest about your effort
Owning your mistakes
Managing your time and focus
Keeping your commitments
Connecting effort to purpose
The five areas we look at
01
Self-Leadership Excellence
Are you in charge of yourself?
This is about initiative and perseverance — whether you start things on your own and keep going when it gets difficult. Nobody can give you drive. You build it by practising it.
02
Intellectual Growth
Do you grow from your effort?
This is about quality and learning — do you aim to do your best, and do you actually look at your mistakes instead of avoiding them? Growth requires honesty.
03
Emotional Intelligence
Can you manage what is inside you?
This is about focus and self-honesty — can you manage distractions, and are you honest about whether you have truly worked hard or just kept yourself busy?
04
Family Dynamics
Can people count on you?
Your work ethic shows in your reliability — whether the people around you (family, friends, teammates) can trust that you will follow through on what you said you would do.
05
Indigenous Identity & Cultural Grounding
Who are you working for?
Your effort is not just for you. Understanding your purpose and your belonging gives your work ethic a deeper root — one that does not dry up when things get hard.
Step 2 of 4 · Self-Quiz
Where do you
honestly sit?
Rate yourself on each statement. Be honest — not harsh, not generous. This is for you.
0 of 8 answered
Step 3 of 4 · Reflect & Discuss
Questions to
go deeper
These are conversation prompts for your coaching session. You do not need to answer them alone — they are meant to be discussed with your coach, using your quiz scores as a starting point.
01
Self-Leadership Excellence
Think of a time you started something without being asked. What made you do it? What was different about that moment compared to times you needed to be reminded?
When you want to give up on something difficult, what does that feel like inside? What do you usually do next — and has that ever changed?
Coach note:
Listen for whether the teen separates emotion from decision-making. The goal is to help them name the gap between feeling like quitting and choosing to continue.
02
Intellectual Growth
What is the last mistake you actually looked at and learned from? What did you do differently after?
Is there a subject, task, or responsibility where you know you are coasting — doing just enough? What would doing your genuine best look like there?
Coach note:
This pillar often reveals where a teen has decided they are "not good at" something. Listen for fixed-mindset framing and gently challenge the story underneath.
03
Emotional Intelligence
What distracts you most — and do you think it is actually a distraction, or is it sometimes an escape? What are you escaping from when that happens?
When you look back on your day, can you tell the difference between a day when you truly worked hard and a day when you were just busy? What does each one feel like?
Coach note:
The busyness question is one of the richest in the set. Many teens equate activity with effort. Help them develop the internal language to distinguish the two.
04
Family Dynamics
Is there someone in your life — a parent, sibling, teacher, friend — who counts on you for something? Do you always show up for that? What happens when you do not?
Have you ever let someone down because you did not follow through? What did that feel like — and what did you do about it?
Coach note:
Work ethic is not only individual — it is relational. This pillar surfaces the connection between a teen's reliability and their sense of belonging and responsibility to others.
05
Indigenous Identity & Cultural Grounding
When you work hard at something, who does it serve beyond you? Do you ever think about that — or does your effort feel like it is only about yourself?
Where did you learn what "working hard" means? Was it from someone you watched? Someone who told you? Or did you have to figure it out yourself?
Coach note:
This pillar is about root motivation. When effort is connected to identity, community, and legacy, it becomes sustainable. Listen for whether the teen has a "why" that extends beyond grades or reward.
Step 4 of 4 · Final Assessment
After everything —
where are you now?
Now that you have learned, rated yourself, and had a coaching conversation — give yourself a final honest score per pillar. Your coach will use this to suggest strategies you can take away.
Your work ethic strategy plan
Based on your final self-assessment across all five pillars.