For me it was org mode (with evil mode because I was coming from 15+ years of Vim). Then..
"Oh, I can manage files and edit a directory like a file buffer.."
"Oh, I can SSH into systems and edit files but it doesn't even feel like SSH.."
"Oh, this makes a great, distraction free IDE.."
I recommend a batteries included distro like Doom Emacs or Space Emacs.
I'm unlikely to give up evil with ~25 years of Vi/Vim muscle memory, but I'm open to trying other systems in the future. Since Vi/Vim operations are verb -> object, the advantages of object -> verb commands are tempting so one can see the target of a command before it's actual execution. The Vim workaround is invoking visual mode, of course.
Obviously with vanilla Vim, you're going to have to memorize everything and I eventually did that way back when. Being presented with the key bindings menu helps to remind me of things that I use less frequently and avoids time spent digging into the help system.
Sorry for the slow reply (but then my HN replies are never guaranteed either).