Coincidentally, I was experimenting with some DOS programming recently using OpenWatcom C++. Of course, I've been switching between projects off and on.

One thing I learned is don't try to attempt projects beyond your skill level or don't be overly ambitious. It will frustrate you and get you nowhere. Heck, it took me years before I started using C++ effectively myself. Not only that, but also dealing with newer C++ standards for my more recent projects. Starting with simpler projects is definitely a good idea. Once you get those down, you can move on to more ambitious projects.