Deadlines have a lousy name. Call them live-lines instead. That´t what they are.
It takes confidence and guts to intentionally create tension.
You can't control other people, and giving them the power to decide if you will continue to produce good work is foolish.
Don't wait to be picked. Pick yourself.
Excellence isn't about meeting the spec, it's about setting the spec.
Making promises and keeping them is a great way to build a brand.