I typed up this response as a reply in a different thread, but I figured it might be valuable as its own post. I'm not trying to disparage the techniques we're learning here. In fact, they're very valuable skills that need to be learned and practiced. However, I think a lot of us get frustrated when we're trying all these techniques and not getting the results we want. Of course the pace at which you proceed is different for everyone, but mastering the right mindset is far more powerful than what you say or what techniques you use. After all, the whole purpose in the techniques that are taught here is to convey that you have the ideal mindset. That of a fun, self assured, confident alpha. You can fake it til you make it, but if your external words and actions aren't matching your internal mindset, you're going to have a tough time. I think for most beginners, the biggest and fastest impact to your game is to stop worrying about your actual interactions, or implementing techniques, but rather spend this energy meditating and working on your mind, analyzing your anxiety, and just trying to have conversions and have fun. Once you can carry on a conversation, have fun, and do it coming from a stress free, anxiety free, calm and self amused mindset, THEN start adding in more advanced techniques.

For me lack of sleep and underlying anxiety issues are the biggest thing keeping me from getting into the right mental state. They were literally a hangup, a bottleneck in the process that was preventing the rest of my game from coming out how it should. So I started trying to get in a schedule of getting at least 7hrs a night, which took care of a lot of my depression, and meditating. And while it never really feels like you're doing anything or making any progress, meditation is incredibly powerful. I recently had a breakthrough in my meditation. And long story short it's allowed me to 1) notice the underlying anxiety that has been prevalent my entire life 2) recognize the moment it triggers 3) recognize that it's coming from irrational fears of inadequacy, fears that people are judging me, etc 4) use my rational, logical mind to shut down these thoughts as they happen.

Before this breakthrough, I entered every single interaction with women not realizing I was seeking approval/validation, and instantly getting anxiety and scrutinizing everything that comes out of my mouth before I said it, lest it offend someone. No matter how much I read about and tried to avoid this happening, and I thought I was doing a good job of it, it was still there under the surface. It was only through meditation was I able to realize it was still even there, and then disarm it.

Now, I am able to get into a calm, present, happy & self amused state of mind. And when you're in that state of mind, you're just having fun, not caring either way what happens, and before you know it, this attitude permeates your facial expressions, words, actions, and eventually spreads to the women you're interacting with, and your work is done. You'll pull with much less effort, and you'll have fun along the way. NOW you can apply your game effectively and refine it through trial and error. Because no matter what energy you THINK you're putting out there, unless you've gotten good at acting, women can pick up on your internal energy. And being forward while you're subconsciously yearning a positive reaction is creepy. Being forward because you're having fun and laughing about WHATEVER reaction you get is insanely attractive to women.

Forgetting about "seducing" and working on the mental game like this has taken me from being kisses/everythingless at 18, not even having a girlfriend before, to now. I'm now 27, been with about a dozen women, created some absolutely crazy memories most guys wouldn't believe, and currently have a wife AND a live-in girlfriend who are both much more attractive than I am. I was even able to meet a woman for the first time at an airport terminal (7.5, maybe 8) and ended up making out with her and did just about everything one could do with their hands on a cramped airplane... During a 1hr flight.

I'm no Casanova of course. I just feel like I finally "get it" now. And it all came from mental development, not any scripted tactics or routines or any other snake oil BS. I'm not good looking. Or at least I was really bad looking about 2 years ago which is when I started working on my game & appearance (mostly the last yr) This was a gradual process for me, but I feel the techniques I read about here couldn't be implemented effectively until I first addressed the underlying mental issues, and then things just "clicked"...

Anyway, sorry for the rant and I hope I can help at least one struggling guy out there.