5 Years of Van Life: The 5 Things I’ve Learned

Just read the “Takeaways” for the TLDR

1.) 99.99% of People Are Great! Don’t Let the Media Trick You

Idea: “Show me the incentive, and I’ll show you the outcome.” — Charlie Munger. There is no incentive for consistently being a bad person. Yes, most of us have had our “bad” moments, including myself. But being bad means creating a life of difficulty and chaos. The underlying current of our existence is to play nice most of the time, as this will get us what we want much more easily. The media likes to focus on those moments when people have their shortcomings. Don’t let them fool you.

Example: During my spring skiing trip in Winfield, Colorado, 2021, I found myself stuck in mud on a 4x4 road, miles from anywhere. Remembering an old cabin with a Hummer parked outside, decked out in Trump paraphernalia, I trekked back. The owner, Bill, greeted me with a wide grin, eager to help. Despite our likely differing views, he towed me out, and we spent time chatting, uncovering many wonderful facets of his life. This encounter was a reminder not to let preconceptions cloud our judgment of others.

Takeaway: Get out of your head about how the cover of someone appears and just let them show you their humanity. People love showing it when given the chance.

2.) No One Is Paying Attention to You

Idea: We all navigate life as the main character of our own stories, primarily focused on ourselves. This intense self-focus means that what we obsess over is likely not even a blip on others’ radar, even if it tops our list of concerns.

Example: During my four years in Colorado Springs working as a software engineer, I lived out of my van in hotel parking lots during the weekdays. Initially, I felt exposed and worried about seeming suspicious. However, across 832 nights (calculated as 4 nights per week x 52 weeks per year x 4 years), I never once had an encounter or confrontation. No one gave two sh**s about me.

Takeaway: Embrace your wants. Feelings of discomfort caused by what others may think is most likely stupid.

3.) Prioritize Time and Money Against Value Set

Idea: Prioritize your values in order of importance. Whenever you’re tempted to spend time or money on something outside your top three, reassess your the time or money your about to spend on that thing.. Aligning your resources with your values ensures a fulfilling life.

Example: Living in a van means I don’t have extra space. I don’t have an empty corner to fill with an unnecessary corner table from Ikea to then place a goldfish on, which would then require feeding and caring for. This limitation means I don’t spend my time cleaning or managing that space, nor do I spend money on it. Instead, I can allocate both that time and money towards the values I’ve set for myself, leading towards a life worth living.

Takeaway: Get your value set locked in.

4.) Stress Results from Poor Expectation Management

Idea: Life is a game of two steps forward, one step back. You know that one step backward is inevitable. So, when it happens, how do you then propel yourself two steps forward? Some may not, but you can if you turn your small problems into games.

Example: Just today, before writing this post, it was -21℉. I needed to refill my propane in Stanley, ID, 25 minutes away, to keep my van warm, with only three hours of propane left. After some coding, I set off, arriving just as my propane ran out. However, the attendant’s pumps were frozen, killing my plans to return to work, enjoy a lunchtime ski, and make progress on a major software feature. Instead, I drove 1 hour and 15 minutes to Sun Valley but I used that time to conceptualize this post.

Takeaway: Turn small problems into games so you can keep your momentum on the horse.

5.) You’re Missing a Ton of Fun, Stop It!

Idea: There’s no, “Magic,” destination. The best destinations are ones I didn’t find on Google or some recommendation. When you see something, then by golly go check it out! And yes, sometimes you will get skunked.

Example: I’m writing this article from a plowed-out area where, as I passed it on the highway, I could see an old forest burn with lots of powder and a peak above. The daily ski pow lunch breaks have been giggly fun, and I never would have found it if I hadn’t just stopped and checked it out.

Takeaway: I’ll let Ferris Bueller take this one. “If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”