ChrisHein

If you want to be capable of protecting yourself, and you can't get it in 5 years, then your system is no good. Like Roy said, a guy can become very effective in 2 years with Bjj, Muay Thai, boxing, etc etc. The goal of protecting yourself and not hurting the other person is a mixed bag. Could I stop a small woman who is untrained in the martial arts, with out hurting her? Most certainly I can. Can I stop a 400 lbs. professionally trained Sumo with out hurting him? Most defiantly not. Being able to control someone with out hurting them is dependent on many factors, and cannot be summed up to 20 years of training.
I think most people are too hung up on the idea of some mysterious magic that will happen down the road. O-sensei said that you could get Aikido in 3 months if you understood what it was. In-fact he said he got it in an instant. "True victory is self victory, and it happens in an instant.". I think it's wishful thinking that you will wake up 20 years down the road and magic will happen. I would put my technical knowledge of Aikido up against any that I've met.