ASK HN: How are you becoming a better programmer?
patio11: Make stuff.  Make new stuff.  Make the old stuff better.  Find people who are good at making stuff.  Make stuff with them.  Get them to tell you why your stuff sucks.  Make your stuff suck less.  Find stuff you like.  Study how that stuff was made.  Make stuff like it.  Do not read stuff or listen to stuff that does not help you actually make stuff.  Realize that making stuff is easy but making the right stuff is very hard -- optimize efforts accordingly.