Several weeks ago, I sent an email asking one question:

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"If I was your personal coach for a month, what would you want me to help you with?"

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Almost 40% said the exact same thing.

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I asked this question for a few different reasons:

First, I wanted you to think about your specific problems or struggles with your RV journey.

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Second, the problem to be something that was more of a journey. Not "I need to replace my refrigerator, what model should I buy?" But instead, something that required several weeks or more of thought and effort to move the needle forward.

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Third, I genuinely needed to get a feel for where everybody was in their journey. It helps me have direction in what I write about in these newsletters and also gives me thoughts and insights for our channel.

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But it revealed a fourth insight I wasn't expecting: as RV dreamers, we feel isolated in our fears. But that island of insecurity? It's packed with other travelers facing the same struggles.

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When I sent this email asking for coaching, I received hundreds of responses. I read every single one and did my best to respond to as many as possible.

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And as I read through them, five problems kept showing up over and over. You probably fall into one or many of these categories. And if you do, I hope knowing you're not alone gives you the push to keep working on them.

Top 5 Problems:

1. Financial stress & making money on the road - 35-40%

• "How do I make money while RVing?"
• "We got laid off and can't afford to travel anymore."
• "Money getting tighter and RV sites getting high."
• "Wish the retirement account was bigger to just leave now."

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2. Fear of breakdowns & maintenance - 30-35%

• "Breaking down & maintaining an RV."
• "How do I find repair help on the road?"
• "When do you get bearings re-packed, roof re-sealed, etc.?"
• "My husband is not able to constantly work on repairs."

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3. Backing up & driving confidence - 20-25%

• "How to back up the RV with confidence!"
• "Anxiety of mapping out the trip and size of rig."
• "How do I get up the nerve to pull this monster?"
• "Challenges hauling a large fifth wheel."

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4. Trip planning & finding campsites - 15-20%

• "How do you plan where to go and how long to stay?"
• "How to find safe boondocking locations."
• "Finding somewhere to camp & planning routes."
• "Finding RV-friendly gas stations."

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5. Downsizing & letting go - 12-15%

• "Downsizing a whole house 40 years worth."
• "Hard to let go of my grandparents' stuff over 100 years old."
• "What do I actually need vs what can I get rid of?"

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Here's what stopped me as I read through these responses:

One couple mentioned they'd been RVing for 20 years and still use the phrase "it's all part of the journey" for every issue that comes up.

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Twenty years in and they're still figuring it out :)

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That's when it clicked: no one graduates from RV life. The journey never stops requiring problem-solving, adaptation, and occasionally feeling completely out of your depth.

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Why This Matters

You think your struggle is proof you're not cut out for this.

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You can't back up confidently — so maybe you're not ready.

You don't know how to fix things — so maybe you should wait.

You're terrified of breaking down — so maybe this isn't for you.

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And because you think your fear is unique, you don't talk about it. You assume everyone else has it figured out while you're the one struggling.

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But here's the truth: the fear you think makes you unqualified is the exact same fear someone else is quietly battling right now.

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I've spent the last week at the Florida RV Super Show and our Tampa campout event. I shook hands and talked with hundreds of people who were grateful to us for sharing our journey.

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The number one thing said to me during those conversations was: "Thank you for being real and sharing not just the victories but all the struggles."

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Most of these comments eventually circled back to me putting wallpaper up sideways in our 'Real Man' video — but I still loved hearing it.

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I think a lot of that gratitude comes from the feeling of not being alone. Knowing there are others out there who also don't have it all together in order to live the RV life.

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That's the breakthrough. Not information. Not confidence. Not even experience.

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Connection.

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The moment you realize your struggle isn't a sign you're failing — it's a sign you're normal — everything changes.

Key Takeaways

Money stress is universal. Almost 4 in 10 people mentioned it. If you're worried about funding your RV life, you're in the majority.

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Everyone fears breaking down. Even people decades into the journey still deal with maintenance anxiety. It's part of the deal.

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Driving confidence takes time. One in four people asked about it. You're not the only one white-knuckling it through tight campgrounds.

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No one has trip planning mastered. The people who look like they have it together are often figuring it out as they go too.

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Letting go is hard for everyone. Downsizing isn't just physical — it's a muscle you have to continually work. You never completely finish.

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The fear you're carrying right now? Someone else is carrying it too.

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Find one person this week — at a campground, in a Facebook group, wherever — and ask them about their biggest RV worry.

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I promise you, it'll sound familiar.

And suddenly, the road ahead doesn't seem so scary anymore.

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Until next time, see you down the road!

-Nathan

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