Programming is not a race with one winner. There are a ton of programmers making 6 figures, and the distribution of possible incomes for someone who can program and ... has no real upper bound.
You are very unlikely to be the second coming of John Carmack, but you can still have a plenty good life. Welcome aboard, start your learning curve, and keep it going.
There is only one big tip that I have. A level people like to hang out with A level people while B level people like to hang out with C level people. The difference? B level people want to be the smartest person around and stop learning. A level people don't care about the label and want to be around other smart people.
I agree with this, however I do feel compelled to expand upon it.
A level types really only like to hang around A level types. Being a B or C player in a room full of high achievers can at times be downright (if not outright) unpleasant.
If I had my druthers, I'd choose to be the 2nd dumbest person in a given room. Being an order of magnitude or two behind the mean is more demotivating than educational.
You are very unlikely to be the second coming of John Carmack, but you can still have a plenty good life. Welcome aboard, start your learning curve, and keep it going.
There is only one big tip that I have. A level people like to hang out with A level people while B level people like to hang out with C level people. The difference? B level people want to be the smartest person around and stop learning. A level people don't care about the label and want to be around other smart people.