Sailing for introverts vs extroverts

Being along with the ocean is liberating

My friend and I were having a lively conversation which drifted into sailing. I am a sailor and she is not. I was telling her about how exhausting a conference for long-distance sailors had been, as there was something to do and people to be with almost every minute of each day. I told her when the Ocean Cruising Club weekend was over, being an introvert, I needed a full day of silence and no camaraderie to recuperate. She laughed and said, "It must be a challenge to get a roomful of introverts to join in on a social event, assuming that introversion is a trait that would inspire sailing across oceans."



I just looked at her in awe, never having thought of the introversion part of the equation. But suddenly some things made sense. Extroverts are energized by people and wilt or fade when alone. They are bored by themselves, often in both senses of the expression. Leave extroverts alone and they will reach for their mobiles or go in search of camaraderie. In contrast, after an hour or two of being socially 'engaged',  introverts need to turn off and recharge - alone.

In keeping with the psychology of sailing concept introduced in my last blog entry, I think this bears detailed exploration. Perhaps single or double-handed sailors are introverts while extroverts are likely to sail with larger crews and in the company of others, like in rallies. Yes, I see a pattern forming. Racers are party goers and extroverts - yelling at the crew and puffing out with bravado. Cruisers are party goers too, but often they sneak in hoping to go unnoticed (for the free booze). I'm an introvert, I love sailing short-handed, and we rarely have crew aboard. After all, double-handing is like single-handing half the time. The ultimate recharge scenario. I would be appalled to join a rally, though we have cruised in company over short periods of time. I can go to parties and have fun, but I need to retreat afterward.

Writing suits me as I can step into my office and recharge. Skiing, camping, diving, and hiking - all solitary sports -  also have suited me. The only team sports I ever pursued were volleyball, archery, and platform diving. Only volleyball involved teamwork, the others were individual performance events. How did I ever manage volleyball? I guess I just loved it enough to make do.

I did teach myself to speak in public and to be conversational, learning that asking a question of the other person often left me off the hook. How did I manage leadership so well? How did I manage to deliver addresses to audiences of 2000 executives?

It's important to note that the terms 'introverted' and 'extroverted' are not just synonyms for 'shy' and 'outgoing'. There are outgoing introverts and shy extroverts. The main differences come down to how energy is regained. Introverts regain energy by spending time alone, while extroverts regain energy by surrounding themselves with people.

That answers a few questions. Now to think of a few more questions for a roomful of introverts.