[cupofjoakim]

I think we are similar in this aspect. I'm self taught as well, no CS knowledge to speak of from any formal training. The thing is, while most of my colleagues at work stopped caring about programming many years ago, I stayed with it.

The key to becoming a "good" programmer is basically just continuing to do it and to ask yourself "why did I design this like this" every now and then.

I've been at it for like ten years now, and every two or so years I'll have an "aha" moment where something clicks.