you should find some small thing you need to do for yourself : for example searching through all the images on your computer, and seeing which one is of a particular format (jpg, bmp for example) or which one was created/modified in the last couple of days. only then should you approach learning a programming language (i recommend python for starters, because it's sweet and has a lot of libraries, letting you concentrate on what you want to do instead on arcane problems) and then learning the techniques necessary to solve your problem (you'll see that most tasks you can solve programaticaly have a certain template).
It's important to start with a real task, and not only do the simple training programs you'll find in every manual/tutorial. I can't stress enough the difference between grasping a concept and actually being able to apply it in the field.
Second, after you learn your first language, don't ever think of sticking only to it. Learn your second, learn your third and your Nth language and never stop learning them. Sure, most of them are similar (python is like ruby, perl, lisp, c is like c++,c#,java) but there are some oddballs like prolog and haskell which will make you a better programmer just by knowing that they exist and what they're about). Thus you'll have a tool for every job.
Also, after a while, learn assembler (x86) and some hardware theory (how a computer works, what's in a CPU or a GPU etc.).
Finnaly, have fun! Don't feel pressured to know anything you don't need or don't think will make you a better programmer. Don't learn Java and it's assorted libraries because every job wants you to know it. Don't learn LISP because the cool kids are doing it, and don't write programs you won't use.
It's important to start with a real task, and not only do the simple training programs you'll find in every manual/tutorial. I can't stress enough the difference between grasping a concept and actually being able to apply it in the field.
Second, after you learn your first language, don't ever think of sticking only to it. Learn your second, learn your third and your Nth language and never stop learning them. Sure, most of them are similar (python is like ruby, perl, lisp, c is like c++,c#,java) but there are some oddballs like prolog and haskell which will make you a better programmer just by knowing that they exist and what they're about). Thus you'll have a tool for every job.
Also, after a while, learn assembler (x86) and some hardware theory (how a computer works, what's in a CPU or a GPU etc.).
Finnaly, have fun! Don't feel pressured to know anything you don't need or don't think will make you a better programmer. Don't learn Java and it's assorted libraries because every job wants you to know it. Don't learn LISP because the cool kids are doing it, and don't write programs you won't use.