So would someone that has never heard of airplanes before learn quicker than someone who has thousands of hours of sim behind?
I'll answer that with a "could be..." in the context of learning to fly a very simple GA airplane in a VFR only environment. Think of it this way, if you've never ridden a bicycle, would thousands of hours of driving help you with that? Not much... Rules of the road a little, yes, but the bicycle is a whole different vehicle to control compared to a car, just as a light GA plane is to an airliner.
I have on several occasions, trained airline pilots to fly advanced GA amphibious airplanes. I knew that they had thousands of hours of jet flying, they knew that they had it. We both agreed at the very beginning, that it had very little value in the training we were about to do. Indeed (as is a bit too common), all that airliner time got one pilot in a very dangerous situation, as he selected wheels down for landing, and confirmed wheels down. His serious error was that this was a planned and briefed water landing. He completely put his ego away after that. I've had to train a number of pilots for something new, compared to their prior experience. My very best success has come with pilots who have said to me: "Teach me as though I know nothing, and we'll see where we get to.".
Your best success in learning to fly a small airplane in an approved flight training environment will come after you step away from simming, and focus entirely on the approved training curriculum (which will not include simulators). 'Just free advice, from someone who knows...