I will accept your influence, guidance and direction if (and only if) I believe that you and I share similar goals.

If your clients aren't actively telling their friends about you, maybe your work isn't as great as you think it is.

Success comes from doing what you enjoy. If you don't enjoy it, how can it be called success?

Don't get stampeded by what people around you value. The task is to figure out what YOU value - and value highly enough to throw yourself into with unqualified passion.

Believe passionately in what you do, and never knowingly compromise your standards and values. Act like a true professional, aiming for true excellence, and the money will follow.

What you do with your billable time determines your current income, but what you do with your non-billable time determines your future.

No one can manage you if you don't give them permission to do so. But if you are interested in accomplishing as much as you are capable of, then I believe there are good reasons to grant that permission.