What a 1967 AC Cobra Taught Me About Life, Business, and Knowing When to Stop.
I’ve always loved cars – the older, faster, louder, and more ridiculous, the better. And lately, I’ve been thinking about what actually makes something perfect.
Is it perfect when you can’t possibly add anything else? Or when you can’t take anything more away?
Modern life – and modern cars – are obsessed with “more.” More features, more tech, more buttons, more complexity. But my 1967 AC Cobra 427 S/C is the exact opposite: no gadgets, no power steering, no airbags, no windows, no roof, barely even seatbelts. It’s just a massive engine, four wheels, and a steering wheel. That’s it.
Driving that Cobra, you realize something: perfection isn’t about addition. It’s about ruthless subtraction – stripping away everything that isn’t absolutely essential, until all that’s left is the core, the soul, the very essence, the stuff that matters. In a world addicted to “just one more feature,” the real flex is knowing when to stop.
So here’s what that car – and this mindset – taught me about business, investing, and life.
Two Schools of Thought
There are two types of people in this world: the adders and the subtractors.
The adders are always chasing the next upgrade, the next feature, the next “improvement.” Their motto: If a little is good, more must be better. It’s everywhere – not just in cars. Look at the Amazon website or Facebook. They’re a hot mess, each page overloaded with a hundred different links, options, notifications, pop-ups. The SAP screen to create a single purchase order? Same story – layer after layer of buttons, tabs, and settings. Hell, I used to be one of them. In my old business, I added more features to our website, more gizmos, one more link, one more “must-have” nobody actually asked for.
Then there are the subtractors – the people who see every new addition as potential clutter or noise, something that dilutes the experience. For them, perfection happens when there’s nothing left to take away. Every cut brings you closer to the essence, the soul.
Over time, I’ve switched camps. Now I take a clue from Steve Jobs, who obsessed over what NOT to include. I cut until there’s nothing left to cut. I want to distill everything – my products, my network, my schedule – down to its core. That’s why I love the Cobra. That’s why I cut over 3,000 LinkedIn connections in one afternoon. Subtraction isn’t about scarcity or minimalism for its own sake. It’s about stripping away the bullshit so what matters can actually breathe.
This isn’t just about cars or websites. It’s a game changer for how you run a business, invest, or design your life.
Real World Example: The Car Analogy
Let’s bring it back to the Cobra.
This car is the exact opposite of modern complexity. There’s no touchscreen, no power windows, no lane assist. No cup holders, no climate control, not even a radio. It’s all engine, wheels, and raw, mechanical feel. There’s nothing extra. Every ounce is there for a reason.
When I’m behind the wheel, it’s just me, the road, and the roar of a V8. It’s not comfortable. It’s not convenient. Pure, brutal, undiluted exhilaration. There’s nowhere to hide from the experience – no digital cocoon, no distractions. The Cobra is honest. It forces you to pay attention. And that’s the beauty.
Contrast that with most modern cars. They’re so packed with features and “driver aids” you sometimes wonder who’s actually driving. They numb you. The connection to the machine gets buried under a pile of options and conveniences. At some point, the car stops being a car and becomes a rolling compromise.
The Cobra isn’t a compromise. It’s distilled down to the bare essentials, and that’s why it’s perfect.
How I Apply Subtraction to Business, Investing, and Life
This mindset goes way beyond cars. It’s how I think about business, investing, and the way I run my days.
In business, subtraction means refusing to add another feature just because we “could.” I used to cram my products and websites with add-ons, bells, and whistles, thinking it made us look bigger, smarter, more valuable. But most of it was noise. These days, I cut. Ruthlessly. If a feature doesn’t directly serve our core customers or drive real results, it’s gone.
In investing, I do the same. There’s always a new product, a “must-have” asset, some hot opportunity. But I keep things simple: low-cost index funds, real estate, art I actually love. If I don’t understand it, don’t use it, or it doesn’t align with my goals, I cut it from the portfolio.
Even in my daily routine, I subtract. I cut out the meetings, tasks, and social obligations that don’t serve me. My not-to-do list is now as important as my to-do list. I say no more often than I say yes – because every unnecessary “yes” makes my life heavier and less clear.
It took me years to realize that more isn’t better – better is better. Sometimes, perfect is what’s left after you’ve stripped away everything that doesn’t matter.
The Payoff – What I Gained By Saying Enough
Here’s what happens when you get ruthless about subtraction:
- Clarity: Every decision gets easier. No more wading through noise or pointless options – just focus on what matters.
- Freedom: My calendar, my investments, my business, and even my garage are lighter. I have space for what actually moves the needle. That’s real freedom – not being owned by your own stuff.
- Energy: Fewer obligations mean more bandwidth for health, creativity, and actual fun. I’m not weighed down by unnecessary “maybes.”
- Quality over quantity: Every project, trip, or connection means more, because I’m no longer chasing the next shiny object. What remains is intentional.
Cutting down is not about living a lesser life. It’s about finally making room for the stuff that counts.
This is the same principle behind my “Life by Design” philosophy and why I walked away from the grind in Dubai – fewer distractions, fewer pointless commitments, more space for things that actually light me up.
The truth? The day I started cutting – features, obligations, people, junk – I actually got more. More time, more fulfillment, more results. Not by adding, but by letting go.
The Challenge – Start Cutting
So here’s my challenge for you:
Next time you think about how to make something “better” – your work, your investments, your relationships, even your own headspace – don’t ask what you can add. Ask what you can take away. What’s the extra weight, the noise, the stuff you’re just carrying out of habit or fear? Get rid of it. Cut until what’s left is undeniable.
That’s how you get to the essence, the core, the part that actually matters.
It’s not always comfortable. Sometimes it’s brutal. But that’s where real perfection lives – not in endless addition, but in fearless subtraction.
Just look at the Cobra. Nothing left to add, nothing left to take away. That’s how I want to build everything – from my next project to my actual life.
Less, but better. That’s the whole game.
