On projects you are usually either given way more time than you need or you start out with a looming deadline. Rarely does it work out where you have just the right schedule.
As we all know, working under a deadline can be exhilarating. The rush of getting everything done under trying circumstances can give you a high that is only matched by doing something no one else has accomplished.
But, that looming deadline is just as likely to cause compounding mistakes and a coming disaster. And this is the driver of creativity. Finding new ways to get work done is a right-brain activity. Executing and actually getting it done is the left-brain side. Not all new ideas are good ones and it is important to rule out the ones early that are going to cost you time and frustration.
Acceleration must be managed closest when deadlines are tight. And the key word there is manage. You can’t just get the work done, you also have to be able to make sure the right things are being done at the right times.
And then that risk thing. Always good to watch out for.