Lifting is easy. Very straightforward, nothing tricky about it — just force yourself to lift regularly. Dieting is a bit harder, takes more willpower, but it’s still straightforward — just don’t eat too much! But I’m finding that transforming myself “on the inside” is hard AF. Transforming away from being a desperate, needy chump who gets turned away because women quickly realize that (even though I may be sufficiently good-looking to catch their eye) I’m not commanding their respect and therefore I have low SMV is hard AF. There’s plenty of generic advice on how to get past this stage available on this website, but I’m finding that it’s hard AF to put into practice! Implementing the advice seems to require more willpower than I have, even though I have quite a lot of willpower in the non-‘game’-related parts of my life.

I’m guessing this is because transforming myself on the outside —and being aware that I’m doing so, so that I can feel I’m making progress— doesn’t require anyone else’s involvement, but transforming myself on the inside —and being aware that I’m doing so— does??? Or perhaps not. I dunno, but I am certain that there are plenty of other folks on this forum who were once in the position I’m now in but ultimately got past it. So, my question is: how did you get past this stage? How long did it take? What specific thought patterns/actions did you find to be key for YOU? I can read generic advice on the interwebz as easily as you can, but specific “what worked for ME” stories are harder to find. Interested in hearing your stories, especially if you were an ‘alpha at work, beta-everywhere-else’ type like me…