Updates for the last 9 days of pickup
Honestly, I can't remember much

Been going out and hitting it hard (as usual). Went to all the usual spots, and despite my
burnout (which I discuss in detail below) I was pushing through, and improving, even if only nominally, because of it. I think it's important to push through when you're having a bad night because it gives you some perspective. But pushing through a burnout night may be a totally different thing. In other words, I don't think you can push through too many burnout nights in a row because it's like stabbing yourself in the chest; self-destructive in the long term.
I
pulled a few days ago. Long story short: I introduced my wing to this girl I opened at Omnia the night before because it was both of their birthday's. They vibed but she didn't text back afterwards. The next night they ran into me at a different club and stopped me. I didn't remember them at first, but when I did I called Brandon over and reconnected him with his girl. Then I started talking to one of her friends (there were like 5 of them). Before you know it, we're suggesting we go back to our place to get drinks. Two of them agree. Honestly it was a pretty effortless pull. I wasn't really attracted to my girl and was just occupying her so my wing could get it in. But, once we got back to our place I ****ed her haha. I didn't really have to do "pick up" to get her. It seemed like she was attracted to me almost immediately, so really all we had to do was manage the logistics properly and make them feel comfortable. Overall, a good experience.
Most importantly...
On Burnout and my NEW perspective on work
A few days after the pull I was going out incessantly as usual. But, Monday night it finally hit me. I was feeling just god awful and I finally said "fvck it, I can't push through this sh1t anymore, I'm going home".
The result was a long and very helpful talk with my wing. I took Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday (today) off and I'm literally feeling 1000X better. I couldn't figure out why I couldn't fix my despondency, but this has done it.
This has been a HUGE revolution in my LIFE. Possibly in the top 5 revolutions/awakenings/realizations I've had my entire life. I have a completely new perspective on work ethic that is going to pervade my entire life.
@TheMonkeyKing &
@Howiestern thank you for your kind, and true words. I would have vehemently disagreed with both you a week ago, but now I finally see the purpose of breaks. I've always thought that I have the power to push through anything. If my body or mind are telling me no, then man the fvck up and push through that. Through sheer force of will and determination I can make myself do anything. This is actually not true. You are completely right that I was trying too hard and putting to much work/focus into this. As a result, the progress that I so desperately desired wasn't coming. In the long run, it's waaayyy better to take breaks.
And not just breaks, but having
recharge days and
impromptu days. I've created a system that I think I can use to sustain myself in the long term now. No longer will I be plagued by these quasi-sine curve patterns of burnout and intense progress.
@TheMonkeyKing if you read what I have below you'll see that I've basically embraced everything you said. Pickup should be more fun for me from here on out.
Recharge days and impromptu days, my new formula for longterm success and avoiding burnout
I actually wrote this in my personal journal the other day, so I'm just going to copy and paste that here. So far this system is working, and I feel 1000X better than I have in recent memory. Using this system of recharge and impromptu days I can revitalize my energy and be much more effective in my work.
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First of all, it's important to note that I am extremely introverted. I finally embrace this. The following system is to allow me, as an introvert, to succeed.
As an introvert,
A
recharge day is a day where I only focus on myself. I don't try and be social or talk to anyone. I focus only on my own specific goals and things that I want to accomplish. Examples might include, big words, meditation, gym, ready, n-back, etc. The most important thing is that I have solitude and time to be completely alone and do my own thing. I do not want to interact with other people or do game. This recharge day thus allows me to have the fuel to go HAM at being social and game on the days that I do practice them. Thus, I'm doing less days than when I do it every single day. However, my learning curve is faster because I'm doing it more deeply and better when I am doing it
because I am recharged!
An
impromptu day is similar to a recharge day, but on an even deeper level. The problem with having a recharge day, as an introvert, is that it still subtly feels like work. It's like you're recharging, but some of it is still leaking out the back end. This is because us introverts love to have structure and to create systems and follow patterns and what not. So when we have a recharge day, it is still part of a system. We're saying: "I'm setting aside this amount of time specifically to recharge, so ****ing do it from this time to this time and ****ing recharge dammit."
The problem with this is that it is also a system and thus some form of work and is thus also draining and mentally fatiguing. To compensate, we must have an
impromptu day. Impromptu days do not happen nearly as often as recharge days, and should probably occur about once every two weeks for the optimal effect. During an impromptu day, you literally have no obligations or goals (because we introverts love our goals, even if our goal is to relax or recharge.)
The goal is not to recharge, the goal is not to work, the goal is not to not have a goal. Simply put, there is no goal or obligation. You can literally do whatever the **** you want or don't want for the whole day. You can be productive if you want. You can read a book. You can meditate. You can do you goals. You can do work. You can relax. You can recharge. You can watch game videos. You can do big words. Or, you can do none of it! There's literally no damn obligations. The day is yours to be free and present. Just be free of time for the day and do not think about what you have to do in the future. Just do whatever the **** it is that you want to do that day. You literally have nothing to do for the whole day! An impromptu day is a day free of obligations and goals, and is necessary from time to time in order to allow an introvert to be fully recharged and reset from their busy, nonstop, always going minds that create structure and goals incessantly.
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This is seriously an
awakening for me. Even if I went back home with nothing to show for my time in Vegas but this awakening it would be worth it. Because this literally answers so many questions I've had about myself and how to optimize my time. I feel like I actually understand my own mind and emotions better than I ever have (at least 10X better). It truly is an invigorating feeling to feel like one understands oneself (at least much better than before).
What do you think?
Talk to you soon,
Alex