I'm wondering what others have done out there to prep themselves before getting the guts to do their first approach. For me, I'm just starting out and trying to absorb a lot of material from some of the gurus out there. Mainly reading forum posts and listening to podcast interviews. Common to most of what I hear is to focus less on absorbing material and just get out there and do it.

My short-term goal is to be able to cold approach a girl day or night. Being able to open up a set is completely out of my realm at this point but that's a goal I will set when the times comes.

I've decided to set little milestones for myself before trying to tackle the first approach. Basically, right now I'm focusing on greeting strangers on the street. I would then move on to other situations that would progressively lead me to the approaching a girl.

Has anyone else taking this approach that led them to your first approach? How long did it take you?

I am also at this level. Whilst I am approaching girls at the moment and having some success (also some failures), there are a few things that I am working on that are similar to your steps, to boost my first approaches.

Let me tell you of something that happened which has stuck in my mind since it happened. I am by nature fairly reserved and conservative when it comes to naturally expressing my opinion in public to people that I have never met, and my uncle is quite the opposite.

The two of us were at Sydney airport on our way to New Zealand and were queued in an over sized line to check our bags in. He was on a phone call attending other matters and I joined the line with both of our bags. Twiddling my thumbs as I did I quickly became bored of what appeared to be at least an hour long wait.

My Uncle came back after about twenty minutes and within seconds had opened the guy next to me and his wife. within minutes about 4 or five people around him were talking to him about the . I wondered why they talked to him and not me? I wondered why he had that aura that attracted conversation. I also wondered why a female Check-in staff member soon came and asked us if we would like to follow her to check in in the first class area (saved us about 40 minutes!), or why they brought him two meals on the plane while I only got one.

Its now after reading the game, mystery method and many people's posts here that I understand the reasons why and am now building on my own skills to help me achieve a higher social value.

The steps I am taking is when I am around someone that is a complete stranger, I open with a quick one liner about something that I learnt today. If they didn't know it already then its a great conversation starter. If they did well you can talk to them about it until you go your separate ways.

My point is that you cannot be social enough. It is not normal to sit there like I did, and now, with each conversation that I start (whether it be with the person manning the counter in the shop while my mate is trying on a shirt, or the business man who sits next to me on the train) I build confidence with different personality types. Its great for making friends too.

I am still fairly new at this but I believe that doing this will help overcome my shyness and increase my confidence. So far it is working and I am seeing results in my confidence during approaching of sets. I think once this is working for you, you will find breaking down those bitch shields much easier!

So yes others are doing it, and yes it works. For me I still get nervous and I'm sure I always will. but baby steps all the way! You will know when its working for you.


Good luck

Hornoscous

This sounds like something I'd like to be able to practice on. I can see myself starting a conversation with a stranger with a question or complement and then trying to transition into getting into conversation. Your approach seems much more direct since your opening with a statement.

Start with whatever works for you. The most important thing to remember here is that is is a confidence builder and in the real world of opening sets, will usually not work, so don't try those direct openers to girls with their shields up . It does however help build your social awareness and your social confidence, and you can then use that same confidence to open sets with something a little more indirect.

hey you know what i just thought, if you're gonna try conversation with random people in public, also watch their body language. note the different personality types, voice tonality and body language as you go.

I'm aussie and heading over to Canada to live next week so i'm gonna give it a shot over there and see how i go. never know, might land me some friends or even betterm some pivots. i'm looking forward to putting myself out there in as many ways as i can and taking in as much as i can also!!

I know alot of you guys will disagree but i think that you can prep your self to much, You need to get out of the mentatly that you need to prepare you self for this, if you go in with that attitude your going to fuck up for sure. Try and do it spontanously, dont go in for the kill either, just start of by starting a short conversation you remember that yoou dont need to get a number or a shag out of it, just a few words and build up from there...

Oh yea...im pretty great with approaching women but Never on the first set. I Have to open 3 to 4 sets Just to warm up. to get rid of the nervousness, and awkwardness of going up to a complete stranger. BUT GET THIS. i'Ve talked to a couple of hot girls, and they said a nervous approach scares them and makes them FEEL uncomfortable. Yes, i asked some girls their view on it. i wish i could have taped it. One HB11 i asked in the mall said exactly this "If he's nervous approaching me,he can now leave my perimeter" shit that surprised me lol... but yea, i always open 4 sets to warm me up so i can be smooth. Even Mystery does warm up sets.

For me I always feel nervous before I approach any new person for any sort of conversation, but I've built myself a little routine to get over it. I realize that I am far more afraid of women then of men, and of young women than of old women, and of pretty young women than of young women.

I do practice approaches and openings on men and old women on my way out every day. I pass a cigarette stand a block from my apartment on my way to the metro, so I make sure I give a hearty "Ni hao" to the old lady at the booth. Then I say "Hello there!" or "Howdy!" to the old men I pass between the cig stand and the station. Aside from the old lady at the booth, I rarely get verbal responses, but the smiles and nods I get are enough to reassure me that there's no reason somebody wouldn't want to respond to me today.

By the time I reach the metro I'm generally good enough to be striking up conversations with the young men and young-ish women. I'm still anxious over opening a pretty young lady, but it's not the numbing and debilitating fear that it once was.

My point goes back to something said in the PUA community again and again... just be superly sociable with everyone.

Here was my first ever approach:

1. Smile
2. Straighten up
3. Know you're the prize
4. Say hello