i think there's an easy way and a hard way to understand options. at the easiest level, you can just view it as a way to enter or exit stock positions. at harder levels, you can use it to make directional bets for stocks. it took me less than 6 months to understand the easier levels, but i just don't have the mental capacity to learn charts and candlesticks to try the harder levels.
i would rather trade once a year than stare at charts 10 hours a day. life is more than just about charts and making wall street bets. there are other ways to make more money like improving yourself to get a better job.