The Disease of More: Why You Feel Unhappy, Lost, Addicted & Stressed | Joshua Fields Milburn

ℹ️ EPISODE INFO

Released

January 21, 2026

Duration

1h 31m

Channel

Dr Rangan Chatterjee

Watch on YouTube

▶ Open ↗

📝 EPISODE DESCRIPTION

This episode is brought to you by: VIVOBAREFOOT: Get 15% off your first order https://links.drchatterjee.com/4nqvRI3 THE WAY APP: Get 30 FREE sessions and begin your journey towards peace, calm and wellbeing. https://thewayapp.com/livemore What if the biggest source of stress in your life is not your job, inbox, or finances – but the simple fact that you have too much stuff? This week, my guest is Joshua Fields Millburn, co‑founder of The Minimalists, whose documentaries, books and podcast have inspired millions of people around the world to reconsider their own relationship with possessions and success. Joshua grew up with very little money, in a home marked by addiction, violence and instability and, as a young man, became convinced that the solution was to be found in acquiring ‘more’: more income, more status and more material comfort. By the age of 30, he had everything he thought he wanted – the big job title, the nice car, the large house, all the visible signs of having “made it”. And yet, inside, he was anxious, overwhelmed and deeply unhappy. Then, in the space of a single month, his mother died and his marriage ended. Those two events forced him to pause and ask some uncomfortable but essential questions: What am I actually doing with my life? Whose values am I living by? Is this endless consumption really what life is all about? That period of questioning led Joshua towards minimalism – not as a trend or an aesthetic, but as a practical framework for living with greater clarity and intention. In our conversation, we discuss: ● How external clutter is often an outward reflection of internal clutter ● Why products so often promise fulfilment but ultimately deliver dissatisfaction ● The difference between healthy consumption and harmful consumerism ● Practical rules that make decluttering simpler, including the 30-day minimalism game, the 90/90 approach to clothes and why a “sale price” can often become a “fool’s price” ● How identity clutter keeps us stuck - when we cling to things, roles or labels, not because we need them, but because we’re afraid of who we’ll be without them ● How minimalism can improve our health and relationships by creating more time, attention and presence. Joshua is a wonderful human being, a brilliant communicator and someone who thinks deeply about the human experience. He believes that minimalism is the art of “addition through subtraction” - it’s not about having less for the sake of it, but about making space for what matters most. #feelbetterlivemore Connect with Joshua: Website https://joshuafieldsmillburn.com/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/joshuafieldsmillburn Twitter https://x.com/JFM YouTube https://www.youtube.com/TheMinimalists Facebook https://facebook.com/theminimalists The Minimalists Podcast https://www.theminimalists.com/podcast/ Joshua’s books: Everything That Remains: A Memoir by The Minimalists https://amzn.to/4jXtsEr Love People, Use Things: Because the Opposite Never Works https://amzn.to/3YMm0Co #feelbetterlivemore #feelbetterlivemorepodcast ------- Order MAKE CHANGE THAT LASTS. US & Canada version https://amzn.to/3RyO3SL, UK version https://amzn.to/3Kt5rUK ----- Follow Dr Chatterjee at: Website: https://drchatterjee.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drchatterjee Twitter: https://twitter.com/drchatterjeeuk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drchatterjee/ Newsletter: https://drchatterjee.com/subscription DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

🎤 SPEAKERS

• Dr. Rangan Chatterjee

  host

  Medical doctor and host of the Dr Rangan Chatterjee podcast/channel.

• Joshua Fields Milburn

  guest

  Minimalist author and podcaster, co-creator of The Minimalists.

🧾 EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of Dr Rangan Chatterjee, featuring Dr. Rangan Chatterjee and Joshua Fields Milburn, The Disease of More: Why You Feel Unhappy, Lost, Addicted & Stressed | Joshua Fields Milburn explores escaping the disease of more through intentional minimalism and identity Consumerism promises happiness through acquiring countable externals (stuff, status, followers) but typically delivers only short-lived satisfaction followed by discontent, debt, and stress.

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