Impact on the scale of Bill Gates, Steve Wozniak, or Mark Zuckerburg is far more about luck than about skill or choice of field.  Sure, you have to be pretty skilled and choose a fast-growing field to achieve that.  However, remember that the field of personal computing was tiny - barely existed, even - when Gates &amp; Wozniak got started.  The reason we view them as having had a large influence on the world is because computing as we know it largely grew up under their companies.<p>Instead, ask yourself if you&#x27;d be satisfied with the kind of impact and influence that, say, Paul Graham or John Resig or David Heinemeier Hansson or Patrick Mckenzie has achieved.  <i>That</i> is eminently doable with hard work, devotion to the craft, and smart choices.<p>And then ask yourself whether you enjoy the actual process of programming.  That&#x27;s the most important thing.  It&#x27;s very hard to be successful in a field that you don&#x27;t enjoy, and even if you are successful, what&#x27;s the point if you&#x27;re not happy?