Read. But don't stop there. You also have to write.
First: Write Code. Try out the stuff you read about. Look at open source software and how things are done by others. Try those new techniques out.
Second: Write text. Write a blog post or whatever on how to do something. You had a problem and you solved it, now write down what the problem was, what ideas for solutions you had and what solution you picked for which reasons. Get people to comment, get peer review of your own thinking that way.