[kleiba]

Don't worry, I started programming at a relatively young age, but there were a lot of concepts I simply didn't get when I was a teenager.

I think the one advantage you have as a "young man" is that you have abundant spare time to hone your skills. If I were to pick up programming now (or any hobby that requires determination), I doubt that I would have the time required to fully immerse myself in it. But I am much older than you and fully occupied with job and family life, so not all hope is lost for you.

In some ways, programming is like learning a musical instrument, but in others it isn't. You don't need to fine-tune your brain synapses for amazing finger coordination. But like with almost everything, the more you practice the better you get.

Finally, I really wouldn't worry so much about whether or not it's a young man's game. If you're curious, programming is probably one of the easiest things to get into: no special gear required other than a computer and an infinite amount of resources for learning available for free online. Plus, you have online communities to find answers to common questions like StackOverflow.

Don't overthink it, just dive in.