Im curious to know what you think has worked best for you? I'm in a similar boat - and the resources I have tried seem to progress like this:(mindlessly) easy / easy / im lost.
However, it still takes a certain mindset (brain chemistry perhaps) which makes certain people leapfrog others. May be it has something to do with how a brain sees logic and numbers (I see logic and numbers but not necessarily in proficient manner).
My ultimate conclusion is that if programming doesn't come naturally to you, then you are looking at a whole lot of discipline and consistent practice. The chances of you giving up here is very high. But if programming comes naturally to you, then you can become a programmer irrespective of the kind of teaching pedagogy you follow.