The study & understanding are the easy bits - a CPL & flight data experience will give you a bit of a leg-up in that you already know the phonetic alphabet, what VOR, DME, ILS, SSR, "insert acronym here" are, you speak the lingo and you know how the "system" fits together. A lot of which will make you a better controller in the end because it means you know the other guys job.
Unfortunately it doesn't really help much with basic controlling. The bits you really need to know as a controller aren't technically challenging - memory work mainly.
Where your previous experience will likely help you is in pulling all the stuff you'll be taught together. Handling a dynamic environment with changing priorities and time pressures. All the while doing it within strict constraints.
And that's the hard bit that can't really be taught other than by experience building on existing aptitudes. The more experienced can provide tips, but it's up to you to build them into techniques you can use.