I like calm clever machines like sailboats.

They are efficient and paradoxical: they can be simple from one perspective but complex from another; they can be the slowest way to travel an ocean but can be the fastest if you call one of them home.

In the past year, I’ve been watching a YouTube channel called Hashtag Sal.

In most episodes, the host Adriano Plotzki interviews people from diverse backgrounds who live in sailboats. Although I’m interested in learning about sailboats, I most enjoy how Adriano conducts the interviews. He asks questions that lead people to tell stories and share their perspectives.

Here is what I learned after watching many episodes:

• There are many types of houses. Some float
• You don’t need to live on a sailboat. But you can
• You need to know how to do things by yourself
• You need to know when not to do things by yourself
• You don’t need to cruise around the world. But you can
• You need to ask smart questions to hear good stories
• Stories build perspective repertoire
• Calm machines lead to calm users
• You need to be moving to change direction
• Too much wind is dangerous. Too little is boring
• Freedom can be risky. Communities make it safer
• You don’t need to own a boat to starting learning
• Most essential skills are affordable to learn (e.g., knots)
• You don’t need to be a millionaire to have a different lifestyle
• Have a plan but drop anchor or change routes when necessary