So I was out last weekend doing pickup with a friend for the first time in little while. I really pussed out on the first few sets and eventually just started by asking the time a few times. Then I tried it with 2 girls transitioned off it and held them for 45 minutes. Got them laughing, qualified and I could tell they wanted me to escalate on one of them.

So the main problem I'm having now is that before or right as I'm approaching my anxiety seems to hit 10/10 but then as soon as I start I don't care about the results and I do pretty alright considering my level or experience.

Basically the friend I was with pointed out that I'm basically treating girls like "trip mines". I get this intense paralyzing feeling that something really bad is going to happen but I don't know what. I guess its probably because I feel like I don't have their permission to talk to them but need it (Even though consciously I can tell myself I don't and that nothing really bad will happen. Doesn't help).

Bottom line. For now should I just keep using the time as a fallback instead of not approaching or is there maybe a better way? I could walk up to Megan Fox or even Shamu the whale and ask for the time without feeling like a knob.

You have a good friend and he's right. The reason why after you start talking you don't feel anxiety is because once your there you invest 100% of yourself into the interaction. Before you approach you still have time to back off but once you approach you can't do anything but continue. What you should try to do now is like you did until now ask girls what time is it to get yourself into the state. Also whenever you do things put 100% of yourself into them. Think of it like this: You have $100,000 and you can either invest $5,000 and earn or lose $5,000 or you can go all in and invest $100,000 and be able to win or lose $100,000 you should do the later case. This makes you not care about the failure and also gets you more motivated.

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"Experience is the teacher of all things"

Yeah having people around who were like me and now do it no problem helps a lot. Same actually applies for a guy I know who's just a total natural. I might try doing some simple no expectation approaches during the day this week. Just go around asking the time and saying "hi" to people until I emotionally realize its not like stepping into a bear trap.

I'll try to apply the same to escalating after I really get this down. I always feel like a wuss if I say something is "cute" instead of sexy.