If you abstract away the complexities and focus on building a system using some pre-built IP, FPGA design is pretty easy. I always point people to something like MATLAB, so they can create some initial applications using HDL Coder on a DevKit with a Reference design. Otherwise, there's the massive overhead of learning digital computing architecture, Verilog, timing, transceivers/IO, pin planning, Quartus/Vivado, simulation/verification, embedded systems, etc.
In short, start with some system-level design. Take some plug-and-play IP, learn how to hook together at the top level, and insert that module into a prebuilt reference design. Eventually, peel back the layers to reveal the complexity underneath.
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