My name is Jack. I'm 35, and I've been doing this for the better part of the last 22 years. To date, I have been sexually involved with approximately 400 women. Though I don't have any real system I subscribe to, I have studied pickup extensively for informative and sociological purposes, so I'm well versed in the various methods out there. Some of you may recognize my username, since I like to frequent this subreddit every couple of months. Many of you appreciate the comments I make; some of you, not so much. That's all right. We've all got our personal styles. And today, I'm going to share with you a few things that have helped me over the years. Hopefully, you'll be able to make some use out of them.

1. Nothing is ever as big a deal as you think it is.

This is an important lesson for those of you who still wake up each day with nagging issues in your mind that won't seem to go away. What was that thing she said? What did it mean? Who was that guy she was talking to? Did I do everything I was supposed to last night? Am I going the right direction in life? What will other people think?

Stop.

You're giving way too much of a fuck. Put your life into perspective: you're young, you're healthy, you don't have any actual mental disorders, and you didn't wake up this morning having to shit in a bag attached to a hole in your gut. There is absolutely nothing you're worrying about that is actually that big a deal in the grand scheme of things, so chill out.

2. When in doubt, cowboy the fuck up.

You've learned from television and women that displays of emotion are appropriate -- that flying off the handle for good reasons is okay. You've been mislead. Stoicism is attractive. Not just to women, but to anyone who you interact with. Think about it: do you want to hang out with the whiny pussy who does nothing but complain about stupid shit, or the guy who lets his troubles roll off his back? We've all got problems. How we handle them is a choice.

3. Women aren't scary.

The absolute worst thing a girl can do to you is not have sex with you, and you're already there by default anyway. You lose nothing by talking to them. If they reject you, you are no worse off than when you started.

Most of them want to be treated like people, not just sex objects. They want actual conversations like you'd have with any of your other friends. So oblige them. But then add flirting to the mix as well. If you can inject flirtation into casual conversation -- getting a good banter going -- then they'll want to keep talking to you.

4. Learn comedy.

When asked what people look for in a mate, sense of humor is usually in the top three traits listed. Knowing how to crack jokes, how to tease, and how to make light of situations is the essence of flirtation. Laughter is a profound means of communication. It conveys interest, curiosity, enjoyment, and is one of the major indicators of interest that a person will make. Knowing how to utilize and manipulate that fundamental element of communication is an essential part of being good at pickup.

5. Learn to fight.

Don't pick fights, but know how to end them. The ability to defend yourself has a profound psychological effect on your confidence and self-esteem. If you walk into a place knowing that if somebody tried to take you down, you could take them, then suddenly every social situation seems easy. You won't be intimidated by other guys because they won't be a physical threat to you, and with that knowledge, you in turn won't be intimidated by their skills with women.

6. Small talk is death.

Never, under any circumstances, resort to small talk. The instant you start bullshitting about the weather or ask something like, "How's work?", you've lost. Direct the flow of conversation with comedy. Get a banter going. Be witty and hilarious. When you say something outrageous, comical, or borderline offensive, immediately move to the next topic. It keeps their mind constantly in a state of wanting resolution to the last thing you said, tantalizing them with a dangling statement but denying them any such resolution. So subconsciously, they'll keep wanting more. The best comedians operate in the same fashion: they'll give you something outrageous to chew on, provoking a response in your brain that makes it go, "Wait a second!", and then immediately move on to the next joke before you have a chance to process anything. So by the end of the set you're left feeling keyed up and even a little frustrated subconsciously, but with a sense of longing for more of what you just experienced.

7. Be valuable.

An article posted on Cracked made an excellent point about the world only caring about what you can give it. If you have no skills and nothing to contribute, don't expect people to care about you. Knowing you're awesome means having the means to back that up. Faking it until you make it only works until people realize you have nothing real to contribute to anything, so make sure when you're showing confidence, you've got something behind it. Otherwise, you're just a poser who can be taken down with a few simple jabs at your ego.

8. There are billions more where she came from.

If you strike out with one, there is a virtually endless supply of others to choose from. There's no need to get worked up over one girl when at any point you can find someone who is equivalent or superior.

9. Practice.

Hone your craft. Take what I've said and add what works for you, then discard what doesn't. Always strive to achieve greater than what you have before. Use every opportunity to learn and to grow, and never accept stagnation as an option. With each experience, you gain deeper wisdom about yourself and the world around you. And knowledge is truly the greatest measure of power.

10. People can only hurt you insofar as you let them.

Taking offense is a choice. If someone calls you a pejorative, or insults your methods, or looks down at you in disgust, it's still your choice how to take that. In the end, what other people say and think does not ultimately change how you feel about yourself unless you let it. Use the opinions of others as a gauge, nothing more. If everyone around you says you need to take a shower, then you can safely assume you should heed their advice. But if one person tells you that you're a cunt, it's just noise. You're the one who decides whether that noise is going to change you in any way.

That's all for now. Feel free to ask questions or tell me how wrong I am. I'm totally up for debate. But before you do the latter, let's just compare resumes.