My mother always made sure that we studied, my sisters and I, that we had a degree and that we were someone in life, able to achieve things by our own means, without depending on anyone, I will always be grateful to her, she is my strength, my best friend and companion, I love my parents, both in their own way, they taught me many things, they are our best example to follow, greetings, my friend.
I think a person can be someone in life without a degree (I don't have one - I never even completed high school) although I know what you're getting at; work ethic. I'm not a parent so don't know how it's done, although I know enough to know when it's done right and when it's done wrong. Seems your upbringing was a product of the former of the two.