There are three very important tips that will help non-programmers build sites with Drupal. They've helped me so I believe they can help you. Oh and they're very simple.

1. Give yourself plenty of time. When you're new to Drupal the last thing you want is to have to rush to deploy a site. Spend a few weeks exploring the platform and trying different things before you start development in earnest.
2. Have a lot of patience. Anytime you're learning something new you will hit snags. You may get a bit frustrated as you attempt to learn this system. Hang in there. The effort will pay off.
3. Be committed to learning. This is so important with a system like Drupal. Open source systems are always changing and Drupal is no exception to that rule. New and updated modules are released every day. New features come with major releases. Other web services that you can connect to with Drupal are changing. So if you want to stay sharp realize that your ability to absorb new information is a great asset.

These tips are simple, but that doesn't mean they are easy to adhere to. Sometimes the tough challenges in life are the ones that mean the most in the end. Becoming adept at managing a Drupal site definitely falls into the tough but rewarding category. Good luck.