That is how I felt about mastering Photoshop. "Muscle memory," exactly. And patience, yes, it took time and a lot of practice. I learned to accept intermediate stages as paths to mastery, knowing I'd get better if I just kept trying. Since then, that's how I approach all learning. I know that whatever else I try to master, I will get there, and what seems hard at first will become easier. I mean, that realization is like muscle memory too. It's ingrained in me now.