Excellence through subtraction: What's left when you stop ruining it
By
June 2, 2026
Sesame, salt, and substance. A flagship bake.
Summary
Seth Godin reflects on Paul McGowan's insight about stereo amplifiers: musicality isn't an added feature but what remains when you stop ruining the sound. Godin expands this principle to customer delight, leadership, design, and personal growth, arguing that excellence often comes from removing obstacles and bad practices rather than adding more features or complexity.
Key quotes
· 3 pulledThe musicality isn't a feature you add to an amplifier. It's what's left when you stop ruining it.
Customer delight isn't a feature you add to a product. It's what's left when you stop ruining it.
Leadership isn't a feature you add to a manager. It's what's left when you stop ruining it.
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