I've read lots of blog posts like this but this one is very extensive.
Some paragraphs that stick out to me:
The best devs I know read a lot of code and they are not afraid to touch it. They never say “that’s not for me” or “I can’t help you here.” Instead, they just start and learn. Code is just code. They can just pick up any skill that is required with time and effort. Before you know it, they become the go-to person in the team for whatever they touched. Mostly because they were the only ones who were not afraid to touch it in the first place.
A related point. Great engineers are in high demand and are always busy, but they always try to help. That’s because they are naturally curious and their supportive mind is what made them great engineers in the first place. It’s a sheer joy to have them on your team, because they are problem solvers.
To be one of the best, you need an incredible amount of patience, focus, and dedication. You can’t afford to get distracted easily if you want to solve hard problems. You have to return to the keyboard to get over it. You have to put in the work to push a project over the finishing line. And if you can do so while not being an arrogant prick, that’s even better. That’s what separates the best from the rest.
Again, resist the urge to guess. Ask questions, read the reference, use a debugger, be thorough. Do what it takes to get the answer.