If anything, it's a good time to start. The fact that the market is slow can be used to your advantage because you can take the time to learn to do things right and although leads aren't going to fall into your lap, anyone at anytime can be a good prospect...

Agents are STILL selling homes and are still doing well. They have a plan and they are working it through...this agent in the office I may work with just closed on an 8 million dollar home...now she had been working with this buyer on and off for three years, and deals like that don't always come her way, so she stuck with this person made a freind in the meantime which gave the person a sense of trust that she wasn't just another transaction...now in this slow market, the agent is going to enjoy a nice sizeable commission...so even though the market aint all that great, potential opportunities are

Here is a little quiz to give you an idea about your talents to be a successful RE agent:

http://www.ebby.com/careers/irefy.shtml?section=careers

It's business as usual. The better agents get most of the business. The old 80/20 rule rules.
If you have the cash reserves and the drive you can make it, no matter what the market is doing.

I was top producer in my office in the first full year in business. Proof that it can be done.