This comment by coffeemug is the most relevant advice I have every found for anyone wanting to become a competent programmer/hacker : http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1747713

Also from http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/hacker-howto.html :

"So, if you want to be a hacker, repeat the following things until you believe them:"

To follow the path:

    look to the master,

    follow the master,

    walk with the master,

    see through the master,

    become the master.