Excellent question
Whirlybird, and I definitely fall in to the second category. Like
pulse1, I get a real buzz out of sailing and the similarities are quite evident.
Unfortunately, I'm very self critical so I'll never have the perfect flight but what I enjoy most is learning the different skills such as aviating and putting them together with RT and navigating in such a way that they become seemless. I get a hell of a kick out of delivering a good quality RT transmission to say, London FIS, with all the relevant information included first time - it doesn't happen that often but when it does, I feel great.
The same applies flying itself. When I do a good approach such as the one last night and almost grease it I feel like coming on all American
and punching the air etc.
The ground studies I found a bit of a drudge but I have found a renewed fascination for Meteorology now and also when you can let someone else experience the freedom of the skies as I did last night it just feel like I am totally alive!
Just to add that the other great thing about flying is that you never stop learning and you can never be too good. I reckon that I could have 50000 hours, be 65 and still find out new stuff.