may I ask what domain you are working in? Can you give some examples of how you've slipped in some programming knowledge into other job tasks? I love to hear people's anecdotal problem/solution approaches. Was the programming side of it actually slipping in some VBA/chrome extension/javascript or was it more of just an 'analytical' approach taken to a business decision.
I use programming extensively as a problem solving tool, for things like data analysis, modeling, automation of experiments, and prototyping. Almost all modern equipment is electronic and computerized. To be capable of rolling out an MVP on my own, I program.
You will rarely see my computer without a Jupyter notebook on the desktop. ;-)
In addition to working in a computerized field, program code is just a super powerful way to express ideas. And the disciplines of good programming practices (yes, learn them) provide ways to organize the innards of complex things, so they actually have a fighting chance of working and being right. Plus, it's fun.
People who work as full time programmers may make more money than me, but I'm not sure that I can do their jobs. When thinking of any profession, a person should not only look at the cool, fun stuff, or the money, but what the actual daily grind looks like, because that's what you have to survive.
I was motivated because my older brother, and my mom, had already learned how to program, and they were quite excited about it. After getting past a few familiar conceptual hurdles, it became very easy for me to learn programming myself.
People who are only motivated by the money, or under pressure from others, have a harder time, because their curiosity and drive aren't activated. There's some sort of valve that lets the knowledge into your brain, that has to be opened.
For the most part, the people I know who seem to be motivated by money itself are not so desirous of getting rich per se (many are already rich), but are actually interested and curious about money in the way that I was curious about programming.
I don't program for a living today, but my ability to program is definitely a force multiplier for my work. It has either improved my earnings, or improved the continuity and longevity of my career.