Ep 47: The Danger of the Diderot Effect in Your Life
August 04, 2020

We have all been there. You have just completed a medical residency or nursing school, and you let out a big exhale. And why not, you have, undoubtedly, worked hard to get to this chapter of your life. For all those late nights studying and sacrifices you made during the last several years, you have reached a level of success that many only dreamt of. For many, though, this success brings in the fervor of want and excess. If not recognized, the Diderot Effect can become a permanent thorn in your side for years. 

It All Started with a Scarlet Dressing Gown

Denis Diderot, a famous French philosopher, lived most of his life in poverty during the mid to late 18th century France. While being known for writing the most comprehensive encyclopedias of the time, Encyclopedie, he was a poor man by many accounts.

As the story goes, Diderot was about to marry his daughter but could not afford her dowry. Catherine the Great of Russia heard of his financial woes and bought his library collection for £1000 GBP, which is approximately  $230,000 USD in 2020. 

Not only could he afford his daughter’s dowry, but he had money to live a life of luxury. His first purchase was that of a scarlet dressing robe, and that’s when it took a turn for the worse.

The Diderot Effect

Diderot loved his scarlet dressing gown, but he quickly noticed that it was out of place with all of the other items in his home. Surrounded by common possessions, he felt the need to purchase new and ornate things to complement his new scarlet dressing gown. 

“All is now discordant. No more coordination, no more unity, no more beauty.” –Diderot

Diderot goes on to give his examples…

“The straw chair was relegated to the antechamber by a leather chair…A large mirror took over the mantle of my fireplace.

Those two lovely molds that I owed to Falconet’s friendship, and which he repaired himself, were moved away by a crouching Venus. Modern clay broken by antique bronze.

The wooden table was still fighting in the field, sheltered by a mass of pamphlets and papers piled up any which way, and which it appeared would protect it from the injuries that threatened it. One day it met its destiny, and despite my laziness the pamphlets and papers put themselves away in a precious bureau.” – Regrets of my Old Dressing Gown, Denis Diderot

Resist the Diderot Effect

Like many others, I have fallen victim to the Diderot Effect. The desk that I am writing on is a supreme example. I have always wanted to buy a beautiful writing desk, and I did just that. What happened next was that the new desk didn’t fit in with the bookshelf or the chair. So, a comfortable leather chair and beautiful glass bookcase were added to my desk purchase. 

If you are like me, you can recognize similar behavior in yourself too? 

As we progress through our years in medicine, we have a natural inclination to accumulate more, add more, upgrade more, rather than living the comfortable life you are in. There is the pressure to keep adding more in our lives to justify a lifestyle to others. 

With social media being omnipresent in our lives, we are bombarded with selfies, videos of others having more, and living this opulent lifestyle. Of course, it’s a lie, but these images are really effective in creating want over need. 

How to Control the Diderot Effect

1. What Are Your Financial Goals?

To control the effects of overconsumption, ask yourself, “What are my financial goals for my family and me?” This is a great starting point and imperative for every family. Are you looking to live a luxurious life, opulent lifestyle, that’s fine but write down these financial goals. Are you looking to retire early? Great, write it down.

From the White Coat Investor, Dr. Jim Dahle recommends taking the time to create an Investment Policy Statement that is unique to you and your family. It a great exercise to complete with your significant others. In the policy statement, you create investment goals, spending goals, and spending limits on homeownership and personal items. 

2. Don’t Inflate Your Lifestyle When Higher Incomes Arrives

Lifestyle creep is ever-present in medicine. While it is entirely acceptable to enjoy the fruits of your labor and reward yourself, it’s important not to squander your gains on short-sighted purchases. The inflation of your lifestyle will create a vicious circle of overconsumption, which requires more work to sustain rather than living a comfortable lifestyle. Dr. Leif, a now-retired anesthesiologist, and creator of Physician on FIRE, describes this perfectly in his blog piece, A Tale of 4 Physicians: The Impact of Lifestyle.

In his piece, he describes four physicians who live decidedly different lifestyles in terms of their spending. He started with a premise that each was debt-free and had a household income of $300,000. Unique to each physician was their annual expense, which Doctor #1 had yearly expenses of $80,000, while Doctor #4 had yearly expenses of $200,000

It turned out that, according to exercise, Doctor #1 would be financially independent in 10 years, while Doctor #4 will be financially independent in 60 years! Amazing! You are likely someone in the middle, but this exercise highlights the importance of spending related to your financial goals and how the Diderot Effect can creep into your lifestyle if you aren’t mindful.

What do you value more, your money or your life?

3. Focus on Relationships Rather than Items

This pandemic has certainly impacted much of our personal and professional lives. If you are like me, it may have created some additional stress, sleepless nights, and a lot of introspection. If you ever caught yourself stuck in a rut, the surest way out of it is in your relationships. Maintaining a positive and supportive social circle is the key to your overall growth–mentally, emotionally, physically, and professionally.

Your overall wellness and success don’t occur in a vacuum. It takes hard work, persistence, and the drive to achieve. Motivational speaker Jim Rohn famously says that “you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” In the world of medicine, this is especially true.

As you surround yourself with successful and motivated people, you will quickly realize that things are secondary. Relationships are far more important. If you want to accelerate your success while slowing down in medicine, find people who have achieved the success that you are looking for. They will be farther along the journey than you. Seek these individuals out! They have a map of success, so there is no need to discover new waters. Model their behaviors. Learn from their wins and their losses. You will undoubtedly find that successful people’s “wins” are rarely from money or lifestyle but in the relationships and friendships forged.

4. Begin and End Your Day with Gratitude

Expressing gratitude stirs positive emotions and creates the expectation that something good will happen despite adversity going on around us. Many have heard the euphemism of “count your blessings.” This practice of being grateful for the people and things around you helps change your mindset to focus on the positive rather than the negative that may be occurring around you. 

Expressing gratitude makes us, as physicians, feel good, but it goes far deeper. As a grateful physician, your interpersonal relationships benefit as well. It enforces a spirit of teamwork, altruism, and recognition of other’s contributions. Be grateful for simple things. Be grateful for your family, for your friends, for your career and your health. Do this privately and in your daily journal. 

Be grateful for things such as the smell of a crisp fall morning or the feelings you have when you have that first sip of warm coffee just like you like it. Give thanks.

Gratitude may seem like a simple emotion but harness its power. You will be on the road toward better health, stronger relationships, and a view of the world that is filled with opportunities rather than obstacles. 

Dr. Robert Emmons, psychologist and professor at the University of California-Davis states this perfectly:

“It is gratitude that enables us to receive, and it is gratitude that motivates us to return the goodness that we have been given. In short, it is gratitude that enables us to be fully human.” -Dr. Robert Emmons

Live a Great Life

Friends, I want you to live a great life, filled with joy, happiness, and oversized success. Relatively speaking, as high-income earners, we have some distinct advantages compared to some of our friends or colleagues. This also comes with some unique disadvantages, such as starting financial planning later in life as well as many of us being saddled with a substantial student loan debt. Keep your spending and lifestyle forefront on your mind. Focus on what is really important rather than what you think you need. 

“With time all debts will be paid, remorse will be calmed and I will have pure joy. Don’t fear that the mad desire to stock up beautiful things has taken control of me. The friends I had I sill have, and their number hasn’t grown. I have Lais but Lais doesn’t have me. Happy in her arms, I am ready to cede her to she who I’ll love and who she’ll make happier than me. And I want to tell you a secret: that Lais, who it cost others so much to buy, cost me nothing.” – Regrets of my Old Dressing Gown, Denis Diderot

So friends, remember the good things in life and what we are really working for. Be mindful of the Diderot Effect in your daily life. 

Until next time, be good to yourself and each other. 

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About Dr. Harry Karydes
Success Mentor For High-Achieving Healthcare Professionals
If you are like most high achievers, you’re already a focused and self-motivated individual. You’re devoted to healing your patients–and doing it quickly. But you’re looking for more. You’re looking for a lifetime of success in your personal and your professional life. I help busy professionals by creating habits that peak performers use every day. My mission is to give you the courage and the tools to learn, grow and thrive in the important areas of your life. To live a life of focus and balance. Yes, you can succeed at work and at home. All it takes is the intent and a mentor to walk with you. If you provide the first, I will provide the second. Let’s get started.
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