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What is the single biggest predictor of adult mental health? George Valliant, the director of an extensive Harvard study on adult development, announced in a 1981 article that the magic ingredient is "the capacity to work learned in childhood". The overindulged child is a developmentally disabled child. Developing a work ethic is critical, not only to achieving career goals, but to developing successful personal relationships.

A positive work ethic is founded on at least three core beliefs which affect the way we live our lives.

1) We are personally accountable and responsible for our actions, for our contributions to our family and society, for what we accomplish or fail to accomplish

2) Our accomplishments are worth-while, not only from the point of view of product, but also from the perspective of process. Even if our achievements don't match our expectations, the act of striving to do our best will change us into better, more productive people.

3) We learn by taking risks, by trying new things, by reaching beyond what we can easily accomplish, and by profiting from our mistakes.

Personal responsibility, accountability, and the drive to achieve are not genetic traits. They are learned behaviors. Parents teach the earliest lessons, not only by what they tell their children and what they require of them, but by the behavior they model. Adults who are unmotivated, dissatisfied, and dishonest will see the same traits mirrored in the children they live with. Adults who honor their commitments, hold themselves accountable for their actions instead of blaming others, and derive meaning and satisfaction from their work will encourage children to make positive choices and move in productive directions.

Developing a work ethic is a holistic process. Everything parents do or fail to do contributes to the outcome, but does not necessarily determine it. The number one rule of parenting is: BE THE BEST PERSON YOU CAN BE. Like it or not, children grow up to be a great deal like their parents.

BUILDING BLOCKS FOR A POSITIVE WORK ETHIC.
1. Provide a positive role model, and expose your children to positive role models. Give them a strong vision of the possibilities life offers them.

2. Talk about your own aspirations, and share your struggles in an age-appropriate way. "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again," will become more than a catchword for the child who sees that not even parents can do everything perfectly. For all of us, improved performance flows from dedication,

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