I just heard an interview of Java specialist Heinz Kabutz. The interviewer asked him how regular programmers can become Java specialists. Even though this answer was given in reference to Java, it holds true for any programming language.
According to Heinz it is very important to take some time out from programming. What he means is do not just program incessantly. Take time out to reflect and learn. Think about what you are programming, is there a better way to solve the problem? What design tradeoffs are you making? Are the tradeoffs appropriate?
Reading source code is one of the most important things developers can and should do to improve their skills. There is a lot of code freely available. A good starting point is the Java source code.
Read the JVM specs and language specs whenever you get a chance. Well read specs of whatever you are working on. They are all written in perfactly readable English, and not some strange legalese language that only lawyers can understand :-)
Have an open mind and try to think why things work in a certain way. Get under the hoods as often as you can.
If you follow these simple learning principles consistently, you too can become a Java (or Ruby, or Python, or ... put in your favourite language) specialist.
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