Do Less, Get More: The F1 Math

Show Notes

Most people behind on their work add more. F1 engineers know better. The math says removing weight wins.

Featuring: Bethany Butzer

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Creators and Guests

Host

Dru Riley

Founder of Trends.vc

BB

Guest

Bethany Butzer

Featured in Dru's Notes: Do Less, Get More: The F1 Math.

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Drag costs you more than speed helps.

I spend two days a week on email and support. I want to cut that to one. The instinct is to push harder. Bigger engine. More fuel. Hire help.

I'm thinking like an F1 engineer instead. There are two ways to make a car faster: add power or remove weight. The math says removing weight wins.

Performance is power divided by weight. Start with 100 over 100. Ratio: 1.

Apply the same 50% move to either side:

- Add 50% to power. Ratio is 1.5.
- Remove 50% of weight instead. Ratio is 2.

Same percentage move. Removing weight wins by a third.

Run it again.

- Add another 50% to power. Ratio is 2.25.
- Remove another 50% of weight. Ratio is 4.

Each removal of weight matters more than the last. Each addition of power gives the same lift it always did. Removing weight compounds. Adding power doesn't.

The same shape shows up in loss aversion. You start with $100. You lose 50%. You have $50. You gain 50% back. You have $75. The same percentage that took you down can't bring you back up.

Same math, both directions. Losses compound against you. Removing weight compounds for you.

This is also why I pick removal experiments first. Cut a feature, a chapter, a meeting. The downside is bounded. I can add it back if I cut wrong. The upside compounds. Less to maintain. More energy for what's left.

The math favors removal.

Where are you adding power when you should be removing weight?