After reading a Wired article about why some people learn faster than others, Davy Brion wrote an article putting the study in the context of software development and why we need to continually challenge ourselves:

It also kinda confirms what I’ve seen from fellow developers ever since I graduated and started working. Every good developer I’ve met isn’t afraid to make mistakes and sees mistakes as learning opportunities. These people routinely challenge themselves by learning something new. They also keep an eye on what other people are doing to get better and they actively try to learn from people they consider to be better than them.

Davy’s experiences resonate with my own. I’m always tinkering with something new. From the outside I’m sure it looks like I have a very short attention span, and that’s often what I tell people.