On one of my first programming jobs, they weren't quite ready for me, so they just told me to read all the manufacturer's documentation on the platform we were using. I managed to read most of it cover to cover. Within a month I was being recognized for doing things others who had been there a year weren't even aware were an option. I've always been the type to open up a new application and explore what every single menu option offers, as well as at least digesting the whole table of contents/index to the help file or documentation.