Take Something Away

Ted Lamade collabfund.com

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The Untapped Potential of Less

Leidy Klotz future.com

sari added

When I discuss my research, no one argues that, when trying to improve something, we don’t often subtract. Listeners nod knowingly when I mention how we pile on “to-dos” when we really need “to-stops,” or how we create incentives for good behavior … but don’t get rid of obstacles to it. It rings true when I mention that

Leidy Klotz • The Untapped Potential of Less

sari added

It inspired him to take a closer look at what he calls subtraction neglect, the seemingly universal human tendency to favor adding over subtracting when confronted with solving a problem.

- Leidy Klotz

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Removing stuff is never obvious yet often better

Greg Kogan gkogan.co

Matt Mower added

Tim Harford considers ‘addition by subtraction’—the idea that removing items is a neglected way of improving things. Anyone who has sent a paper for comments with the note that ‘it’s already too long, so suggestions on what to excise are very welcome’ will know that the vast majority of replies nevertheless suggest additions rather than deletions.

Economics & Marginalia: February 2, 2024 | Center For Global ...

Lindsay added

Simplicity is difficult because most of us are overcompensating for uncertainty. Adding something is easy. But removing something is hard, because it requires conviction. It’s easier to hedge against uncertainty, entertain multiple paths, and dilute your focus than to develop a strong opinion about what to exclude.

Things I'm thinking about

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Things I'm thinking about

Luc Cheung and added

Breaking through to a better idea by subtraction, rather than addition, is the most satisfying kind of breakthrough.

-Jason Fried

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