I would just say to enjoy the process and don't set the bar too high at first. I've been at it for 4 months and my latest shaves have been the best. Stropping actually seems to sharpen and smooth the blade, not so the first couple of months.
And I was convinced the first couple of str8's I purchased weren't really sharp...how wrong I was.
I find angle of the blade and pressure (or lack of) is the most important technique to get down, at four months in I'm just starting to understand it.
It just gets better, stay with it.