First: congratulations, you've done the hard part (accepting there's a challenge that you need to overcome). Seriously, you probably feel like you're at the bottom of a very deep hole, but that acceptance gives you the opportunity to start climbing. Also, 16 years is not "greybeard" territory. At all. You have plenty of time.<p>Second: you're looking at a journey of continuing self-discovery. There is no "one technique fits all". Don't judge yourself for not reacting well to any particular thing; use it as a way to better understand yourself - your current strengths, your biases, your blind spots, etc. Was the thing annoyingly obvious? Did you feel like the presenter was patronising you? Did it all go 'way over your head because you couldn't work out the basic premise?<p>Going wide, especially while you are trying to find yourself, may help you find a thread, or a style, or a philosophy that resonates with (or delightfully challenges) you.<p>With that said, I am a big, big fan of Plauger's 'Programming on Purpose' books. Nothing is perfect, but he does a remarkably good job of laying out basic principles - building blocks - that can help you go from programming intuitively ("cowboy style") to making software in a deliberate and intentional way. Because the books are collections of magazine columns, they're easily digestible in small pieces - good for reading on transit, over a cup of coffee, etc.