It's easy to go on auto-pilot, but learning new things brings many perks. When you commit to learning, whether you enhance your current skills or you embrace a new challenge, you set yourself up for success. Rather than staying stuck in old ways of thinking, you open the door to personal and professional growth.

Thomas Oppong, founding editor at Alltopstartups, says everyone has the brainpower to master a new discipline—with the right technique. If you want to learn something new or brush up your current skills, keep reading. We share Oppong's six habits of super learners in this issue of Promotional Consultant Today.

1. Super learners read a lot. Reading is to the mind what exercise is to your body, says Oppong. It gives us the freedom to roam the expanse of space, time, history and offer a deeper view of ideas, concepts, emotions and body of knowledge. In a world where information is the new currency, reading is the best source of continuous learning, knowledge and acquiring more of that currency.

2. Super learners view learning as a process. Learning is a journey, a discovery of new knowledge, not a destination. According to Oppong, super learners value the process. They don't have an end goal; they seek consistent improvement. They keep mastering new principles, processes, worldviews and thinking models.

3. They adopt a growth mindset. Oppong says that cultivating a growth or adaptable mindset can help you focus more on your most desirable goals. It may influence your motivation and could make you more readily able to see opportunities to learn and grow your abilities.

4. Super learners teach others what they know. Research shows that learners retain approximately 90 percent of what they learn when they explain the concept to someone else or use it immediately. That's why Oppong says teaching others what you know is one of the most effective ways to learn.

5. Effective learners take care of their brains. Keeping your brain healthy keeps it sharp, notes Oppong. What you do or don't do for your brain can significantly change how your record, process and retrieve information. Oppong recommends eating lots of foods associated with slowing cognitive decline — blueberries, vegetables, whole grains and healthy unsaturated fats.

6. They take short breaks, early and often. Downtime is crucial to retaining anything you choose to learn. According to recent research, taking short breaks, early and often, can help you learn things better and even improve your retention rate. Oppong says that our brains' neural networks need to time process information, so spacing out your learning helps you memorize new information more efficiently.

The world is changing fast. When you maintain an open mind and an enthusiasm to learn new skills, you set yourself apart as someone who's knowledgeable and curious. The more you learn, the more confident you become in sharing your ideas and contributing valuable insight. Fortunately, you don't have to be naturally gifted to be a super learner—you just need the right habits.

Compiled by Audrey Sellers

Source: Thomas Oppong is the founding editor at Alltopstartups. He is also a columnist at Inc. and the curator at Postanly.