The central problem of C and C++ is that they require programmers to do their own memory management
Smart data structures and dumb code works a lot better than the other way around.
Programmer time is expensive; conserve it in preference to machine time
A security system is only as secure as its secret. Beware of pseudo-secrets.
Today I am one of the senior technical cadre that makes the Internet work, and a core Linux and open-source developer.
If you have the right attitude, interesting problems will find you.