Here's a few more things not mentioned yet.
When you are non-planiong a daggerless board, the centre of resistance (COR) is roughly around the middle of the board, and as noted, you can steer by tiliting the sail forward and back, moving the center of effort in front of or behind the COR. When you start moving fast enough and get on teh plane, the COR moves to the fin, so as you rake the rig back, the COE stays in front and does not round the board up.
To get into the straps, I strongly suggest you set your front straps in the most inboard position you can, and convert the back ones to a single centre strap if you can, or definitely the most inboard position if you can't. Having straps out wide is a real problem as you fumble around trying to get your back foot in. YOu foot will catch on the water and you will fall backward, rounding the board up, or you will lose balance and catapult. If your straps are outboard, your weight is right out there on the edge, steering the board upwind, so get your weight as close to the neutral centre as you can.
Ask not about catapults. You will learn all there is to know when the time comes.
Trust the rig. Get planing letting your weight do the work.
Now, as you go for the first strap, you will pull on the rig, stuffing up your perfect balance. That's OK, we all did too.
Now have another go, and this time, sheet in with your back hand and gently push away with your front hand at the same time, to steady the rig in the correct position.
When you go for the rear strap, you need to do this even more positively. If you don't think to push with your front hand, you will instinctively pull with both hands, raking the rig too far back, and rounding up into the wind. Once you get the hang of it, you will keep your full weight on the harness, but initially you will release it as you move your feet around.
If your back foot is positioned right at the front of the back strap before you put it in, you won't have far to move it, and it's easier.
As for a zen koan, here's what always worked for me.
"If it works for all the other guys, why should it not work for me ?"
Alternatively, "If the kiddies can do it, why can't I ?"
Get a helmet too, good for both sun protection, ear protection and confidence. Sooner or later you will get a face full of gear too, and a happy clunk on the lid is a welcome sound then.
