If there isn't difference in ability (which I think there probably is), there is certainly difference in inclination.

I work with a couple of guys that want to learn to program. They try. Sort of. They took the same online classes I did. But the content never transformed from theory into "hey, look what I could do with that!" They also just don't have whatever it is (fanaticism? lunacy? lack of better things to do?) that made me sit in front of a terminal for days and nights running together on end, barely eating, hardly sleeping, dreaming about it, trying again, beating on until it worked. There is something different about productive programmers, and no, I don't think everyone has it or has the capacity to become that.

I'm not going to claim it's a virtue... it really is almost more like a vice. An addiction. An ability to tune out the rest of the world (which sometimes is more important in reality) and focus intently on organizing abstraction.

I'll also say... long periods of this are not so great for your relationships and personal life. At least in my experience. So maybe they are better off truth be told.