# Why You Need to Subtract: The Vasa Effect

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/curiosity-chronicle-3997065/why-you-need-to-subtract-the-vasa-effect
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/curiosity-chronicle-3997065/why-you-need-to-subtract-the-vasa-effect.md
Podcast: [Curiosity Chronicle](https://stenobird.com/podcast/curiosity-chronicle-3997065)
Published: 2026-08-21T03:55:00+00:00
Episode link: https://share.transistor.fm/s/6be7dba1
Audio file: https://media.transistor.fm/6be7dba1/d4635883.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/curiosity-chronicle-3997065/episodes/why-you-need-to-subtract-the-vasa-effect
Duration seconds: 487

## Resource

In 1628, Sweden's mightiest warship sank less than a mile into its maiden voyage -- not because of an enemy attack, but because a king couldn't stop adding to it. I call it the Vasa Effect: the addition of individual positives can eventually create a catastrophic negative. In this week's piece, I break down why our bias for addition is holding us back and how creative subtraction might be the fastest way to improve. ••• This episode brought to you by: DeleteMe - DeleteMe makes it quick, easy, and safe to remove your personal data online. Origin Financial - Your personal AI Financial Advisor. Track your spending, investments, and net worth—all in one place. Innerbody Labs - A Higher Standard. After reviewing thousands of health products, we built formulas we wished existed. Lemon - The Al agent that turns your voice instructions into finished tasks.

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## Transcript

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