Here's a question: How long do you think it takes to be good at something? Therapists tell us that the answer is approximately 6 months to learn a new skill and 9 years to master it. That's a long time of trial, error and probably, discouragement. If you've faced this type of discouragement, know that there is a time and a place to quit things, but it's not as soon as we might feel like quitting.