What steps should/can I take towards becoming a software engineer?

Question via Quora: "I'm 29 and have a well-paying career in logistics (that I have no love for) but have longed to become a software engineer my whole life. What steps should/can I take towards becoming a software engineer?"
Get comfortable coding basic programs in Python. Learn to Code - for Free | Codecademy is a good place to start with their Python3 introductory course.
Build a basic small project to put on your resume and pitch it as open-source programming.
Study data structures and algorithms. Introduction to Algorithms | Electrical Engineering and Computer Science | MIT OpenCourseWare
Practice interview questions on websites like http://Leetcode.com
Reach out to a LOT of recruiters to get your resume around.
Interview and get Hired.
If you have questions about any specific resources, happy to follow up. Overall I'd say this whole process is around 400 hours if you have zero coding background.