Podcast Summary: Build with Leila Hormozi
Episode 323: The CRITICAL Difference Between Being Rushed and Speed
Date: October 16, 2025
Host: Leila Hormozi
Overview
In this episode, Leila Hormozi delves into the crucial distinction between being rushed and moving with speed, both in business and life. Drawing from intensely personal recent experiences—a family birth and a family death—Leila explores how these pivotal moments prompted deep reflection on her priorities and operating style. The episode focuses on identifying the difference between rushing (driven by anxiety and fear) and moving quickly (driven by clarity and alignment), presenting five insightful principles to help listeners navigate their own decision-making and emotional regulation.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
Personal Catalyst for Reflection
[00:01–02:50]
- Leila shares that her sister just had a baby, and her husband’s mother passed away—sharp contrasts that sparked deep self-reflection.
- “You know, one life ending and one life beginning. Just such insanely different feelings, just really showcasing the dichotomy of life.” [00:35]
- She questions whether she’s been “rushing” through life or just moving quickly, and what is motivating that urgency.
The Rush vs. Speed Distinction
[02:51–06:59]
- Core realization:
- “Going fast is moving towards something… every time I go fast is because I have the utmost clarity about something that I want to move towards. Right when I’m rushing, it’s because I am moving out of anxiety or fear.” [03:30]
- Early in her career, Leila was consistently rushing—motivated by fear of poverty or lack of experience. Now, with more stability, she questions what’s left to run from.
- The ultimate insight: rushing means racing towards the end, including, metaphorically, our own mortality.
- “I mean, it sounds morbid, but really I’m rushing to die. Like, if we rush through life, we’re essentially rushing to the grave.” [05:00]
Five Principles for Differentiating Rush from Speed
1. Resistance vs. Flow
[07:00–10:30]
- Rushing feels forced and filled with resistance.
- “When I rushed, I feel resistance. When I go fast, I feel like I’m in flow.” [07:20]
- Forcing timelines or outcomes seldom produces real acceleration. True speed comes when actions are aligned with reality and clarity.
- Mentor wisdom: When things feel hard or forced, slow down—it means you may be fighting reality.
2. Emotional Reactivity vs. Regulation
[10:31–16:05]
- Rushing is driven by urges, fear, FOMO, or a desire to escape discomfort.
- “Rushing feels fear driven. It feels like missing out. It feels like the fear of being judged or losing or letting somebody down.” [11:32]
- Moving fast comes from discipline and clarity, acting on what’s truly important.
- “When I rush my emotions, my urges—that sense is what’s driving me versus when I’m going fast, it’s my values that are.” [12:45]
- Real-world example: A tricky business problem made her want to spring into action; she realized she needed to wait for emotional clarity before acting.
3. Armor/Mask vs. Vulnerability & Clarity
[16:06–21:24]
- Rushing is often about appearances: Looking busy or capable to others, even if inside one isn’t clear.
- True speed is vulnerable: Sometimes means saying “I need to slow down,” “I don’t know,” or “this isn’t the right move yet.”
- “When I rush, it feels like trying to appease other people, trying to look busy, capable, ahead for everyone else—even if you know that it’s not right for you.” [17:15]
- In her business, Leila realized she was rushing to meet others’ expectations, instead of honoring her own pace for clarity.
4. Busy vs. Peaceful
[21:25–25:45]
- Rushing results in frantic activity, rarely true progress:
- “Rushing feels like when you’re spinning tires in the mud… the amount of juice I’ve got to put into this thing to get it to just move out of this ditch is ridiculous.” [22:03]
- Going fast is calm, systematic and can even feel boring—because systems and clarity are in place.
- Importance of distinguishing the “work” you actually need to do: head work (thinking) versus busy work (activity).
- Notable moment: She delegated a recurring business challenge instead of taking on work that wasn’t hers, demonstrating problem-solving above the immediate issue.
5. Selfish vs. Selfless (“Future Debt”)
[25:46–29:00]
- Rushing is selfish: Leaves messes for others or future self to clean up. “Rushing just creates future debt that you or somebody else has to pay off.” [27:05]
- Fast, but peaceful pace is selfless: Others can trust you not to break things; long-term generosity.
- Litmus test:
- “Does my speed create peace or does it create problems? If it creates problems, I’m rushing. If it creates peace, probably going fast.” [28:34]
Memorable Quotes & Takeaways
- “What are you rushing towards? Like, this is all gonna end one day. Like, the music is gonna turn off. And so, gosh, I have chills thinking about it because I had that realization at the funeral.” [04:50]
- “When things feel hard, you need to slow down… it’s usually means you’re arguing with reality.” [08:12]
- “We change direction multiple times… we try different solutions because we haven’t taken the time to actually get crystal clear on the problem.” [23:34]
- “The people who win are not the ones who rush, especially not the ones who rush the fastest. They are the ones who master going fast in a calm, clear, consistent way that does not break them, the people around them, or the other areas of their life.” [29:23]
- Parting advice: “When you feel the urge to hurry, do the opposite and ask yourself, does my speed create peace or does it create problems? Am I reacting from fear or am I acting out of clarity?” [29:45]
Noteworthy Segment Timestamps
- 00:01 – Personal updates and life transitions sparking reflection
- 03:30 – Core difference: moving out of fear/anxiety vs. toward clarity
- 05:00 – Reflection on mortality and the existential cost of rushing
- 07:20 – Principle 1: Resistance vs. Flow
- 11:32 – Principle 2: Emotional Reactivity vs. Regulation
- 17:15 – Principle 3: Armor/Mask vs. Vulnerability & Clarity
- 22:03 – Principle 4: Busy vs. Peaceful
- 27:05 – Principle 5: Rushing is selfish, creates “future debt”
- 28:34 – “Does my speed create peace or does it create problems?”
- 29:23 – Who actually “wins” in business and life
Final Thoughts
Leila’s exploration of rushing versus speed weaves together business acumen and deep personal wisdom, grounded in the reality of life’s fragility. Her frameworks provide actionable questions to help listeners avoid reactionary decision-making, instead cultivating clarity and alignment in both personal and professional arenas. This episode is a practical, philosophical call to examine your own pace and purpose.