FIND A BEGINNER-FRIENDLY SURF SPOT. FIND OUT WHEN THE TIDES ARE RIGHT FOR YOUR LOCATION. LEARN TO READ A WAVE FORECAST. DO NOT REDUCE THE SIZE OF THE EQUIPMENT TOO QUICKLY.
Usually, these people have started learning to surf later in life, often live far from the beach and have a busy professional life. But if you have improved your physical fitness with paddle tennis, you have been attentive and you have learned where the waves break and you have even enjoyed a good walk, I would say that it is a very successful surf for a beginner. As a Premium member, you'll have access to all the online courses and all the discussions with a community of surfers who are passionate about learning to surf, just like you. This phase of learning to surf involves going through the beginner level to the point where you successfully surf uninterrupted waves almost every time you surf and, in general, you become addicted to the entire surfing lifestyle.
So, first, you need to know what types of waves are good for learning to surf (as detailed here), then you must learn to predict when they will occur. There's no doubt that learning to surf requires a great deal of effort and commitment, especially if you want to go from being a whitewater warrior to a competent “middleman”. If you're interested in learning how to surf, make sure you have the right equipment, practice the skills needed to surf and get ready to catch your first waves. Imagine learning the wrong basic techniques and then having to “unlearn” your bad habits before you can continue your progress.
The alternative is to be a “summer surfer”, but every year you'll have to learn to surf from scratch and redevelop the skills you've lost during the winter months. It's also better to learn how to spin on a larger board, as it forces you to use the right technique, otherwise the thing won't move. I know how good it feels when you start learning to surf, learn a new movement or pick up your first barrel.