[ChuckMcM]

I have heard vintners say "water the vine, ruin the wine."

The theory as explained to me was that if the plants have enough water they make uniform grapes and that makes for a very dull wine. But let them struggle and the complexity multiplies making for a very good wine.

Scott McNealy at Sun felt that way about engineering. Engineering was always asked to do more than it could with insufficient time or budget. The effect of that was a natural prioritizing of what did get budget or time and a lot of creativity in how the goals might be met. I realized in my own life that if I don't put a deadline on something, even an artificial one, things can get stuck. And sit there stuck forever. The deadline forces me to go back and try a different solution to get it across the finish line.

Yes it is a "lame mental trick" but one that for me is effective.