Stumbling Block

More questions from Strauss

What three accomplishments would you like to achieve to make you happier?
- Career change
- Finish backburner writing project
- Move flat

What are the reasons these accomplishments will make you happier?
- Adds focus
- Stability and identity
- Get over my procrastination

What is your personal mission?
I Will change career and move within the next 18 months

List 3 specific results to show accomplishment
- New job in 8 months
- Change body fat percentage (preferably lower as I'm sick of being attacked with those pincers and having the woman tut at me)
- Promoted within 2 and a half years (could mean change of company)

Why are you now fully committed?
Because if I don't
- Job security will fall
- Lower self esteem
- Ability to move will not exist

But if I do it... blah blah blah. Neil... I get it. I need a change. I understand, I'm not a moron.

Next task in eye colour

(NOTE: Oh... I've just seen Day 3. I think Neil Strauss has lost it)

The day 2 mission was to meet people and look them in the yes to note eye colour

- Clothes shop manager. We joked about feet size. (green grey eyes... to be honest it was hard as they were cloudy and a bit disturbing to look at. I'm hoping that when I did this, I didn't make a strange face as I was thinking... Jeesh he looks like Bowie with cataracts)

- Clothes store cashier - commented on his radio constantly going off. He wasn't very responsive (brown eyes)

- Guy in gym. Talked about the Olympics (Brown eyes)

and here I start to notice the problem.

The very pretty female cashier in another store. I went to make conversation, but the words held up in my throat. I couldn't pluck up the courage to talk to her because I found her attractive. If I had no interest in her it wouldn't have been an issue. I wasn't helped by the fact that she didn't say much anyway apart from tell me the price, but, generally, groups don't "open" themselves. This needs to be worked on. (she had blue eyes by the way)

The Starter's Pistol

This is the start of the 30 day challenge

Day 1 is all about evaluating yourself.

1. Write one sentence (or 2) describing how you believe other people currently perceive you.
-The funny dancing monkey who doesn't know when to stop trying to get people to like him.

2. Write one or two sentences describing how you'd like to be perceived.
- Awesome chiseled god with massive cock. Take it seriously. Confident, at ease when being the centre of attention, charming and disarming.

3. List 3 of you're behaviours or characteristics you would like to change
- Tries too hard. Overthinks. Reclusive.

4. List 3 new behaviours or characteristics you would like to adopt.
- Sociable, Desire able, Engaging

It now says read and destroy... Huh... I'm not throwing this journal away so these answers will have to stay as reminders

The next step is to make small talk with 5 strangers. I guess I need to go somehwere and not sit inside my sterile box.

The small talk thing

I chatted to the old bloke in the gym about the Olympics. He complained about Adrian Chiles. Strange... I've always liked Adrian Chiles.

Gym instructor - A quick chat about the weather

(I'm not sure if these 2 count but I normally wouldn't have talked to them)

I asked a toothless old lady for directions to the post office. We were both walking in the same direction and I got ahead of her and talked over my shoulder. It worked well, but it was at that point I noticed the lack of dentistry and impressive moustache.

Girl in card shop.... I made a joke about it being wedding season. I asked for directions to the post office. She didn't know. Lord knows how? It's only round the corner. However, I talked to her with such conviction she forgot to give me my change. I don't think she was the brightest bulb in the box.

I've pretty much watched 4 straight hours of the TV show. I'm finding it really hard to watch as I recognise a lot of myself in this. I keep turning away or having to bit my fist to keep my eyes on the screen.

Straus' challenge for tomorrow is more small talk and to record eye colour. Definitely have to go shopping tomorrow.

On Your Marks (no, I'm not going to call it Leviticus)

This is supposed to be both a body and mind experiment, so with that on my thoughts I went running this morning. Hopefully this will give me some natural daylight and trim my waist. I've even grabbed the tape measure and jotted down my stats

Stomach 36" or 92cm
Chest 39.5" or 101cm
Arms 13.5" or 35cm

I figure that if I take these measurements every 3-4 days, then I'll be able to track progress without getting lazy or demotivated (which I would if I only did it weekly) I've bought the VH1 TV show to see if I can pick up any more nuggets. I'm like a sponge for information, but I need to see it in action. Plus... I can't be more of a chump than some of those guys.

Need to finish Magic Bullets. I like Savoy's writing as it comes of the page better than Mystery's very diagram focused book. I think Mystery is a genius, but the book is just too sterile to get my head around at times. I've never fucked a pie chart, so I'll take in what Savoy has to say before going out into the field

I have the feeling that I'm going through as much material as possible to avoid doing it for real. Therefore, I promise that I'll start the Stylelife 30 day challenge tomorrow.

The Beginning (or Genesis part 2 (or Exodus if you want to theologically pedantic))

I've done this whole exercise back to front. I've read all the literature that I could get my hands on before buying this journal. The theory has never been a problem for me, it's the practical work where I fall down.

So after reading The Mystery Method and as much of the forums that I can possibly get away with when I'm supposed to be working, I'm embarking on something with excitement and a great deal of fear. I'm writing this at 4pm in the middle of work and several thoughts are occurring to me... I need to finish reading Magic Bullets by Savoy & Sinn and I need to watch the training videos by Mystery. I need to crack on with Style's 30 day challenge and I also need to find a more comfortable way to use this leather journal. It looks and smells great, but it's a bugger to write in.

Genesis

Before you start reading this and treating it sceptically, know that this is a whole hearted no holds barred account of this journey. I won't hold back anything and will only change names and locations to protect the anonymity of the people involved.

This is not a blog for me to brag about how awesome I am. I am not. I'm your average frustrated chump who feels so anxious at the thought of approaching women, that it feels like I need to throw up into my hands. I will lay out every triumph and every failure. I'll also lay out my inner feelings and demons so hopefully readers will find some solace by knowing that it's not just them.

Thank you to 'N' for setting me off on the path to PUA... or at least keeping me out of the "FRIEND ZONE". I guess that this is the start of a journey and I don't know where it will end.