You don't need to spend 10 years to become a fantastic programmer. Many people are clueless when it comes to how to learn things (this is why the question "how do I learn X" is so popular even when it has been answered many times before).<p>Quickly identify the best resources to begin with for whatever topic, which is very easy to do, and work through them. This will get you much more value per time spent than opting for the easier "get rich quick option". For the C++ example, this is the difference between the learning C++ in 24 hours book, and The C++ Programming Language.<p>I think someone dedicated and mildly intelligent could become very good at programming within two to three years, and outdo the vast majority of programmers with 10+ years of experience.<p>It's not a bad thing to want to go fast, which is why I disagree with the premise of the article. Just make sure you go as fast as possible <i>without</i> sacrificing quality of learning.