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Fastness can be applied to anything.

Characteristics of this person can be:

  • likes a fast-paced life (in general)
  • likes things to be done quickly
  • doesn't like to waste time
  • doesn't like to spend time on things that may take too much time
  • if things get slower or if they are not done as fast, he loses enthusiasm
  • likes people around him to be fast also
  • likes fast machines/animals (ex: fast cars, cheetah, peregrine falcon)
  • likes fast internet (who doesn't?)

It is not as simple as being:

  • punctual
  • hasty
  • impatient
  • quick-tempered
  • slacker (irony?)

It is like a life style. There is a term "speed freak" but it is too exaggerated and it has other connotations as well. I'm not sure if there is a word that exactly fits but at least it can be as close as possible or a phrase.

fast and furious?

Edit: He is not in hyperactive state. He can enjoy relaxing/keeping calm at times and spending time on the things he likes. It should not be associated with a disorder, it should be associated with a life-style or a culture maybe. Or just a characteristic feature.

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11
  • hyperactive would work 2
    – DisplayName
    Commented Mar 22, 2014 at 1:00
  • 2
    Type A is an term for the competitive, impatient hard-driving personality. simplypsychology.org/personality-a.html
    – Spehro 'speff' Pefhany
    Commented Mar 22, 2014 at 2:47
  • What is the source of that long list? Is that a standard authority or an opinion? Couldn't there be more (subtle) implications that could be read into fast?
    – Kris
    Commented Mar 22, 2014 at 6:06
  • Incidentally, I do not ascribe any of those meanings to fast as in "Man, this guy is fast!" at all.
    – Kris
    Commented Mar 22, 2014 at 6:08
  • @Kris: I was just exemplifying. There can be other implications as well. But these are the most relevant ones.
    – ermanen
    Commented Mar 22, 2014 at 18:58

4 Answers 4

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2

He is restless, he is dynamic, he's a dynamo. He's got zip and zing! He's an elemental force.

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1
  • 2
    Combine two of these, and you get restless dynamo. I really like that one.
    – J.R.
    Commented Mar 24, 2014 at 16:11
2

Type A Personality fits many of the traits you are describing.

These are people who do not like to waste time. They are highly concerned with their schedules. The like to be on time. They prefer things to work efficiently and quickly around them.

This often bleeds over into their personal lives. They tend to prefer fast cars, etc. They don't have time for complex interpersonal relationships that they see as wasting their time.

NOTE: The terminology has stuck around despite the original studies that coined it having been largely disproven. Its meaning has been expanded by popular culture to mean things like: aggressive, tight-assed, obsessive, etc.

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4
  • I take that as more OCD, not a fast person. It meets some of the criteria but not most.
    – RyeɃreḁd
    Commented Mar 22, 2014 at 3:07
  • 1
    @RyeɃreḁd It's not OCD. Totally different. Take a look at the link. It is a personality type, not a disorder like OCD. OCD implies that the person is pathological and harmed by their habits. Type A people are just driven.
    – David M
    Commented Mar 22, 2014 at 4:56
  • 1
    This is almost what I'm looking for but the note that you gave messes things up. Darn you popular culture!
    – ermanen
    Commented Mar 22, 2014 at 5:05
  • @ermanen Well, depending upon context… it's still a very accepted term in conversation. Just don't try to use it as a risk factor for heart disease. That's been disproven. The personality type still exists.
    – David M
    Commented Mar 22, 2014 at 11:27
0

I think you would identify the person as hyperactive.

hy·per·ac·tive [hahy-per-ak-tiv] adjective
1. unusually or abnormally active: a company's hyperactive growth; the child's hyperactive imagination.
2. (of children) displaying exaggerated physical activity sometimes associated with neurologic or psychologic causes.
3. hyperkinetic.
Origin: 1865–70; hyper- + active
Related forms
hy·per·ac·tion [hahy-per-ak-shuhn], noun
hy·per·ac·tive·ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2014.

link to definition

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2
  • I was going to suggest ADHD myself.
    – Neil W
    Commented Mar 22, 2014 at 1:02
  • Hyperactivity wouldn't fit. It is an abnormal physical state and associated with a disorder.
    – ermanen
    Commented Mar 22, 2014 at 2:09
-1

efficient --> does not waste time or resources

effective --> gets stuff done

He is a no frills kind of guy. He just gets stuff done as simple as that and then he likes to efficiently chill out with a no frills quick beer or a pint of water.

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2
  • "Living life in the fast lane" is associated with danger. And I mentioned in my question that hasty wouldn't fit (and its immediate synonyms as well.)
    – ermanen
    Commented Mar 22, 2014 at 2:11
  • ok I updated my answer accordingly.
    – DisplayName
    Commented Mar 22, 2014 at 8:00

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