VIM is muscle memory to me. I don't usually think about what I'm typing. I just think: 'I want this text over here' or 'I need all these phrases replaced with this new one' and then my fingers do it...like scratching an itch.

That being said, one still needs to learn it to begin with. I'm lucky that I decided to sit down during college and at least learn the basics. I'm not convinced that it makes sense for every one to learn VIM or Emacs if they are perfectly proficient as they are now. For me, it's the right answer as long as I'm not pairing with some one who doesn't know VIM.