Code implmentation for a scenario - how to know various / best solutions and features to implment for a use case

I am C++ developer and have some good hold on C++11. But the issue is in my thought process - given to implement a use case I only use features of C++ that I know or they way to implement - in other words I am always use of my past experiences on how to implement a scenario using C++ - I am not able to come up to level which designers can think that this ways to implement - which also involves using internals of C++.

I know that there are generic standard method already defined for specific scenario but they do not match with my custom requirement.

Say I am coding a adapter and within it I need to call a client and wait for a specific timeout - if timeout I should report a error - if received a response in time check the response and reply accordingly.

Now implementation of this scenario can be done using threads / callbacks / semaphores etc hence which one to use and what is the best approach to implement?

Most of the time I implement based on what I have done in my past - but this turns up to be wrong way

I all other words how a developer can learn implement best solution by learning the features a language provide