This week, a friend questioned one of my lifestyle habits. What surprised him were the obsessive research before making a decision, the choices that might seem inefficient to others. Why I live this way? We talked about integrity—as living in alignment with your values. It got me thinking: Why only aligning my actions with my values bring me joy? Why does any sensibly enjoyable experience—tasty food, a beautiful moment, a praise—feel hollow if it doesn’t? In the end, for me it’s not just joy; it’s about speed.
Speed is this ethereal thing many want to master. Some measure it by deadlines, milestones, tasks completed. But raw speed isn’t the secret. Real speed comes from something deeper: alignment. The people who move fastest aren’t rushing; they just know exactly what matters to them—and they don’t waste time on anything else.
Why alignment creates speed
Alignment isn’t just about removing doubt; it’s about removing friction. Every time you pause to weigh a decision that conflicts with your values, you lose time and energy. When alignment is present, you move effortlessly because there’s no resistance—your actions flow naturally from your beliefs.
This is why some people seem to have a higher “base clock speed.” Their clarity of purpose eliminates the noise that slows others down. they don’t get stuck asking, “is this worth it?” Because they already know it is.
On intrinsic expediency
Jake’s tweet is another way to put it: “Can a person operate with intrinsic expediency? If so, almost nothing else matters; they’ll win.” Intrinsic expediency to me is acting from a place of internal drive. When you know what matters, hesitation vanishes. You move faster because you’re not dragging around doubts or chasing someone’s expectations.
Carl Rogers and Congruency
Congruency is a broader psychological concept that captures long term impact of integrity. Integrity explains being true to your principles in the moment. Congruency, on the other hand, is about harmony between your values and your external actions. Carl Rogers (a psychologist who researched this long time ago) said congruency is the path to self-actualization. In other terms, the more you live in alignment with yourself, the more momentum you build.
This isn’t about being normal
Alignment might not look conventional. Maybe you have habits that seem weird or boring to others. those quirks are probably where your speed comes from. When you stop caring how you look to others, you unlock insane focus and energy. suddenly, you’re playing your own game—and playing it fast.
Why this works
The alignment gives you speed, clarity, and fulfillment. The reason why some people seem unstoppable.
I’ve learned the same lesson from running. When you run long distances, you don’t succeed by fighting through it. You succeed because your mind cheers you on, because what you’re doing aligns cuts through the pain. “Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional,” as Murakami wrote on running marathons. Pain is just a reality. but alignment? That’s what keeps you going.
Align with yourself, and speed will follow.
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Thanks to Arturo Sanchez for reviewing the draft.