[KerryJones]

Two thoughts from someone without a mentor (if you can get one, do that) -- you asked how I (or we) keep improving, but my first thought is you seemed to figure out your own problems: 1) "...and tutorials seem to move at a way to slow pace, so i mostly skip them".

Either you're doing the wrong tutorials, or give them more credence.

2) What I do:

i) Keep myself exposed to what is out there (Hacker News, Blogs, Twitter)

ii) Make sure I am always reading a book (audio books, usually)

iii) Be aware of the next wave of tech -- what is bleeding edge? (current answer: Machine Learning, VR/AR, Self-Driving Cars, Blockchain)

iv) Find resources to learn them: Coursera, Udacity, local colleges courses, meetup groups.