It took me 6 months to find a strategy that has trading edge. Though I burned my fingers trying some publicly available systems with real money. Unfortunately they lost the battle to the market quite quickly and it was a lesson that encouraged me to conduct my own research.It depends on a trader. Some may need 2 years; some may need 5 years. Most important thing is it takes way more time that most of the traders think. Be patient and keep learning. Once you find yourself confident with your strategy and you can apply it in live market with perfection, you will surely be able to make consistent profit and a successful trader.
Agreed, timing is everything.Good traders are those who know how to time the market. Entries and exits for a places are the key here!