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

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.