Monitor performance over an adequate sample, perhaps 100 trades or a set number of weeks. Do not let a down week or trade deter you. Manage the exits rather than filter the entries. It is impossible to tell in advance which trades will be the good ones. The one entry skipped might be the BIG ONE, and one can't afford to miss it.
All systems display subtle nuances and insights into the market's behavior over time.
Keep a notebook of your observations and patterns you notice. Never be concerned about how many other people are trading systems. If slippage seems excessive, it often suggests a significant breakout from a triangle or period of congestion. I would strongly recommend his book Day Trading with Short Term Price Patterns and Opening Range Breakouts . The research in this book provides one of the most solid platforms for developing volatility breakout systems based off the opening price.