It is hard. It gets faster and faster after each level.
This is what I do, and I almost finished the game with this method:
Memorize the order of characters. Try to see what number (out of five) your character is, and when the character you started off with (should be #1) appears, start counting. For example, if the character you want to pick is #3, then wait 'till the first character comes up, count to the third character, and there you go!
That method always works.