Need input for a second step shmup tutorial

[Regdren C.]

Hello all. Some time ago I made a video for people who were not familiar with shmups to help then understand what the genre was and maybe try it out.
Intro to shmups link

It's been a while, but now I'm working on the next step: a bridge from casual play to non-casual, which I define as practicing regularly to work towards a goal. To this end I have gone through the process of learning a new shmup myself while documenting the things that happened along the way so I can talk about them. What I want to do is de-mystify the process so people can more easily figure out whether playing more seriously is something they can enjoy. Also this video might make it easier for people to jump in, but I don't want to twist anyone's arm.

I'm going to link several outside sources such as Bullet hell: More than dodging, Karl's How to Practice, and of course Prometheus's Full Extent of the Jam. The core ideas I'm going to focus on for my own experiences are on the decisions involved in choosing a game, setting goals, setting a practice routine, holding onto every bit of knowledge you get from a session, some of the changes that might happen as you explore the game, and dealing with the days when you feel you're not making progress or even getting worse. But this is all based on the experiences and questions I had. I need more perspectives if I want a chance to make this work.

This was a whole lot of words to ask everyone a simple question: What do you wish you knew when you first considered moving past casual play? I'm making some assumptions such as the idea that you played casually for a while before becoming more serious. If that's wrong, I'd like to know about that too. Just in general, any input is appreciated. Everyone who answers will of course be credited in the video. Thanks in advance!