Build with Leila Hormozi

Episode 335: "Give Me 8 Minutes and I’ll Make 2026 The Best Year Yet"

Host: Leila Hormozi
Date: January 6, 2026

Episode Overview

In this concise and motivating episode, Leila Hormozi shares her proven strategies for creating an “unshakeable” business and a purpose-driven life. Drawing from her personal journey from broke to building a $100M+ enterprise and scaling acquisition.com, Leila focuses on practical systems, mindset frameworks, and actionable routines that anyone can adopt to make 2026 their best year yet. The episode provides a roadmap for separating decision-making from execution, building discipline, and shifting from comfort to growth—even when it feels uncomfortable.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Power of Planning and Systems

• Front-Loading Decisions (00:12–01:45)
  • Leila emphasizes the importance of detailed planning:
    • Annual 12-month business plans
    • Weekly scheduling (including meetings, workouts, personal time) every Sunday
    • Reduces daily mental fatigue and energy losses:

      "I like separating my decision making time from my execution time." (00:31)

    • Key Principle: If your week isn't planned by Sunday, you're already behind.

2. Top Performers & Speed of Learning

• Cracking the Code (01:50–03:05)
  • Top 1% performers succeed by learning faster, not “better.”

    "I got faster ... you do not get what you want most in life. You get what you work for." (02:05)

  • Honest self-audit: Time, calendar, and money should reflect true goals.

3. The Lie About Respect & The Locus of Control

• Self-Respect as the Foundation (03:08–05:10)

  • Respect isn’t “earned from others,” it’s set by one’s own standards.

    “You don't earn respect. You set the standard for it. And most people set the bar way too low.” (03:30)

    • Self-respect means walking away without drama from toxic situations.

  • Locus of Control explanation:

    • Internal locus: "I shape my outcomes"
    • External locus: "Others/fate control what happens"
    • Belief in personal responsibility changes results.

4. Motivation, Willpower & The Role of Structure

• Structure Over Motivation (05:12–09:00)
  • Willpower/motivation are finite like “batteries”; structure provides lasting power.
  • Example: Dieting and making food decisions in advance.

    "If your goals rely on feeling motivated, then you're already behind, because motivation is unreliable." (06:20)

  • Systems trump motivation. Repetition and volume are what actually lead to outcomes, not just hoping to get “lucky.”

5. Action Before Readiness; The Confidence Cycle

• Doing Before Feeling Ready (09:03–12:30)

  • Real growth comes from acting before feeling ready.

    “They wait their entire life to feel ready instead of acting their way to readiness.” (10:12)

  • Confidence is built through competence, which comes only through action.

  • Leila’s self-coaching method:

    • When feeling insecure, she pushes herself to act, not avoid.

6. Emotional Regulation & Clear Thinking

• Don’t Decide When Emotional (12:35–14:32)
  • Emotional spikes cloud decision-making.

    “If I feel emotional, I do not make a decision.” (12:45)

  • Prolonged suffering impairs learning; peak performers require peak recovery.
  • Practical tool: Give yourself 24 hours to process and move on after a mistake.

7. Alignment, Audits & Habit Replacements

• Practical Audit (14:35–15:35)
  • Inspect your calendar and bank statement for misalignment with stated goals.
  • Replace one time/money-wasting habit each week with something goal-aligned.

8. Leverage Parkinson’s Law

• Work Shrinks To Fit Time (15:36–17:00)
  • Give yourself less time for tasks to drive focus and innovation.

    "Time pressure doesn't create stress, it creates clarity." (16:45)

  • Less time forces prioritization of truly important actions.

9. Systems In Personal Life

• A Life of Systems (17:01–end)
  • Leila’s entire life is a series of systems: workouts, relationships, business—everything is scheduled and systematized.

    "My life is a series of systems strung together every day." (17:10)

  • Disciplined routines earn self-trust and long-term satisfaction.

    "Discipline is not just going to bring you closer to your goals. It's going to bring you closer to the person that you want to be." (end)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On discipline and planning:

  "If your week isn't planned by Sunday, you have already lost the week." (01:45)

• On honest self-audit:

  "If your time and your calendar and your money do not reflect your goals and the life that you say you want, then be honest with yourself. You want the life you currently have more than the one you say you want." (02:25)

• On structure over motivation:

  "Willpower and motivation are like batter, so they're going to constantly deplete. Structure is where you derive power from." (05:15)

• On confidence:

  "Confidence does not come first. You're not gonna feel confident before you do the first, right? You will feel confident or more confident on the second rep, but you will not feel confident before the first rep. Action comes first." (10:42)

• On emotionally charged decisions:

  “If I feel emotional, I do not make a decision. When your emotions spike, so do all the errors in your decision making.” (12:45)

• On self-trust and discipline:

  "I trust myself to stick with the plan. I trust myself to have my own back. And at the end of the day, discipline is not just going to bring you closer to your goals. It's going to bring you closer to the person that you want to be." (end)

Timestamps for Major Segments

• 00:12 – Front-loading planning and minimizing daily mental friction
• 01:45 – Weekly planning & why the top 1% win
• 03:08 – The real truth about respect and self-worth
• 05:12 – Locus of control, willpower depletion, and structure
• 09:03 – Acting before you feel “ready” and the truth about confidence
• 12:35 – Emotional regulation, decision hygiene, and peak recovery
• 14:35 – Life audit: aligning actions with goals, habit swaps
• 15:36 – Parkinson’s Law: tight deadlines for better results
• 17:01 – Living a systematized life & the compound effect of discipline

Final Takeaway

Leila distills powerful business (and life) advice into a no-nonsense playbook: Plan proactively, systematize everything, measure honest alignment, take action before you feel ready, don’t rely on motivation, and create an environment where discipline and self-respect flourish. If you want 2026 to be your best year, start by building your calendar, your systems, and—most importantly—your self-discipline.