You know who they are.  They are the rock stars of programming: 


They code 10X
faster.
Their code just works.
They not only know their primary
language inside and out, but they
also know how it works under the
hood.
They know the answer to most any
question before you ask it.
A few of them invented the programming
principles we all use.
And they tend to be 
uncharacteristically humble, as well.


What is it about these folks?  Is there something about their thought process that is fundamentally different from the above-average programmer?  Or are they simply very talented people that work hard?

To put it another way: How can I be like them?  I know what I think I need to learn to be that good, but it seems like it will take me the next ten years to learn it, and then my knowledge will be obsolete.


Humble: An exceptional programmer will never claim their code is the best, in fact they will always be looking for a better way (Every chance they get.).
Patient: An exceptional programmer will have boundless patience (This does not mean they will waste days on a problem. See: Troubleshooter).
Troubleshooter: An exceptional programmer will be able to solve a problem in minutes that may take days for your average programmer.
Curious: An exceptional programmer will be unable to resist trying to figure out why something occurs.
Engineer: An exceptional programmer will engineer systems rather than hobble together a mishmash of frameworks (This does not mean they won't use frameworks.).
