If you are one of the people who never read a manual first, what do you wish you had known about rust before you started a first project?

I'm exaggerating. Developer of 20 years here. Did C++, C, Java years back but for the most recent years worked mostly on python/js in the data space.

Rust is meant to be my 'code something non-trivial in a new language each year' project for 2024. The last 6 years I've applied this mantra pretty losely to simply new frameworks or more systems architecture study.

So it's a bit of a leap for me to get started with Rust.

I tend to skim through the documentation, then think of a project and just cut my teeth on it.

I've worked my way through the Rust lang book this way and explored a few packages this way to see if I can have a good idea for a project.

I'm wondering though what concepts of Rust did you feel you struggled with the most if you learn by doing like I do? Or if you are more the reflected reader when you learn, what lack of knowledge from collaborators did you find was causing you issues?