Went out last night and it was dreadful. I would consider myself a rAFC, so everytime I go out it feels like a battle. Well, last night I definitely lost that battle. Never really got comfortable with any environment and never opened any heavy sets--never really got my head into the game.

A lot of this I can attribute to myself for not just diving in like I usually do, but it felt especially hard with the group of friends I had come with as well as the bar/clubs we went to. The group was 7 deep with 2 girls both HB7 and 5 guys all pretty much AFC-rAFC, but one guy dates one the girls we were with. Anyway, I found it hard to get up and be social when it seemed like everyone was content with sitting at a table and getting drinks and not mingling.

Should I have just gone at it solo (I would do this for short periods and then rejoin the group-with little success) or should I have been more like a Mel Gibson in Braveheart and tried to rally the troops?

Any help would be great--hoping to get something positive out of last night.

Cheers.

_________________
"Now put your clothes back on, and I'll buy you an ice cream."

I have buddies who don't open sets, but they're always happy to wing for me when I open them.

I usually just go off and open a set as soon as I see the opportunity and if I can think of a line quickly enough. I don't even say anything to anyone about it, I don't say "hey guys, watch this, I'm gonna talk to that girl." I just walk off and get stuck in. I use the guys as a base of operations, somewhere to walk back to when a set is over.

This is all psychological. There's a certain way of thinking about it. If you think "OK, tonight I have to open X number of sets and get a K close minimum" then you're putting yourself under pressure. If you think "I think I'll go out tonight with the lads, probably open a handful of sets while I'm at it and see what happens, but either way I intend to have a good time" then you'll be in a much more relaxed state. I always end up opening more sets if I take the more laid back approach.

Thanks for the advice. Totally agree. The best times I have ever had are when I am not only relaxed but having fun as well. Last night I was accomplishing neither.

Going out tonight, so I was with try to make my mantra, "calm and confident", or something alliterative like that.

As a corollary , this why I really try and go with the three second rule when ever physically possible. If you can just pounce into a club and get your game rolling your chances for getting stuck in a mind trap are drastically reduced.

Again, thanks for the advice.

_________________
"Now put your clothes back on, and I'll buy you an ice cream."