I was one of the top performer in Physics Olympics (national level) and ended up as a brilliant student and then average scientist. I left academia after my PhD in physics because I was much better in IT. I really miss the teaching part though.
That would be it for the Olympics vs capacities further in life.
If you look at the amount of programming, I really flew up after my 40's, when I started to code for pleasure. I am a much better developer than I was at 20, not only because of experience but also because of a different approach to code (that comes from, for a lack of better word, maturity)
My father started to extensively and successfully use computers (drawing, calculations) in his 60's.
The fact that you "missed your chance to be a kid prodigy" has nothing to do with your age. If you are in a country where education is of good quality you would have been selected (for Olympics for instance) when you were a kid. You were not and there must be a reason for that (I am not trying to be mean here - what I mean is that either you showed no interest at that age, or that the school was not caring enough, or whatever other reason - but this is over now)
TL;DR: if you are interested in programming, drop the philosophical part and get to coding.
That would be it for the Olympics vs capacities further in life.
If you look at the amount of programming, I really flew up after my 40's, when I started to code for pleasure. I am a much better developer than I was at 20, not only because of experience but also because of a different approach to code (that comes from, for a lack of better word, maturity)
My father started to extensively and successfully use computers (drawing, calculations) in his 60's.
The fact that you "missed your chance to be a kid prodigy" has nothing to do with your age. If you are in a country where education is of good quality you would have been selected (for Olympics for instance) when you were a kid. You were not and there must be a reason for that (I am not trying to be mean here - what I mean is that either you showed no interest at that age, or that the school was not caring enough, or whatever other reason - but this is over now)
TL;DR: if you are interested in programming, drop the philosophical part and get to coding.