Making it fast shouldn't be the last step

I don't think you're going to escape aphorisms. Even if you could come up with one that you like better, someone else will just publish a different but valid blog post saying how your aphorism is wrong or requires revision. You acknowledge as much in the blog post by discussing the lack of nuance in aphorisms.

Because I think aphorisms are themselves the fundamental issue, and I think they are inescapable, it would just be better to teach things often used as "rules" are in fact just guiding principles. That's a much more reusable lesson that applies far more broadly.

* Make it fast

* Make it secure

* Make it beautiful

* Think of the users!