I have been using vim for a little while now (1+ years, so I still consider myself a newbie) and I have found that it has become second nature, I don't think about it anymore I just do.

I learned how to drive a manual car a couple years ago and these days I just don't think about it anymore. I shift completely absentmindedly, it just happens. The response is built into my body, I no longer have to provide it any thought power.

I've become much more productive with vim than I have with any other text editor.