How Experience Brings Clarity

Good morning!

I hope this finds you well.

Welcome to another edition of The Matt Viera Newsletter.

The newsletter with the goal to inspire you to invest in life experiences.

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This past weekend, I went to an RV show in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

I’ve been to plenty of RV shows before, but this one stands out because it’s easily one of the best on the East Coast.

The main reason I went was to explore my options with camper vans.

I already own a tow camper and I enjoy it immensely whenever I can.

But before I purchased this camper, I was really interested in a camper van.

The only thing holding me back at that time was cost.

But during my most recent cross-country road trip, the idea of a camper van kept coming back to me.

After a year of owning and using my camper, I now know exactly what I need, what works for me, and what would make the experience even better.

My sister and her husband made the transition from a camper to a camper van a few years ago.

Their main reason?

Simplicity.

A van makes it easy to get up and go, without the added setup or breakdown that comes with a camper.

So, after spending a day walking through hundreds of vans at the show, I narrowed my list down to two specific models.

I’ll need to do more research, but my hope is to purchase one before my next cross-country trip.

The only real obstacle is cost.

I didn’t see a van priced below $66,000.

But here’s the thing: knowing what I know now about campers, camping, and the way I travel, I’m confident that if I buy one, I’ll get exceptional use out of it.

Big purchases (whether it’s a camper van, a home, or a car) are easier to evaluate when you’ve gained real-world experience first.

If I had gone shopping for a camper van two years ago, before owning my current camper, I wouldn’t have known what I actually needed.

I might have spent a lot of money on the wrong fit.

However, with time and experience, I gained clarity.

I know what will serve me best and can make an informed decision.

What’s the Point of All This?

The point is to emphasize that most people approach big decisions with equal parts excitement and anxiety.

The fear of making the wrong choice keeps them stuck, or worse, pushes them into rushing the process.

But the truth is that clarity doesn’t usually come from thinking harder.

It comes from trying, learning, and adjusting along the way.

Your first step doesn’t have to be perfect.

It just has to give you the knowledge to make the next step better.

Final Thought

I’m not rushing into a camper van purchase tomorrow.

But I know exactly what I want.

And why.

And that’s the takeaway: the more you experience you have, the more confidence you build in your choices.

The better you can make an informed decision.

Experience brings clarity.

Whether you’re buying a camper van, a car, or planning your next big move, don’t get paralyzed waiting for the “perfect” option.

Take the step in front of you, learn from it, and let experience guide your next step.

Quote that caught my attention:

"The only source of knowledge is experience."

—Albert Einstein

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