You've replayed it a hundred times. She stood three feet away, scrolling her phone. You had an opening. You composed the perfect line — after she was gone.
For all you know, she's married now. To some guy who said something. Anything.
Openers are cheap. Almost any sentence works when it's delivered within three seconds. The expensive part is the standing there, drafting and deleting, while the window quietly closes.
The "22 Rules" stripped out my hesitation. What to open with, how to keep it alive, and the one habit that costs guys more women than anything else: waiting for perfect.
She asks it casually, mid-sip. And you feel the floor open up, because the honest answer is work, gym, and a couple shows you're half-watching.
Women rarely say this out loud, but a man with a life is attractive before he says a word. The guy who spent Saturday deep-sea fishing and came back with photos and a story — he walks in already interesting.
The "22 Rules" pushed me to build a life worth talking about. Turns out the fastest way to be interesting to women is to be interested in your own life first.
You asked her if she wanted to grab coffee. Then you asked if the time worked. Then you asked if the place was okay. Then you asked if she'd prefer tea.
Four questions. Four chances for her to say no. Four signals that you're terrified of making a decision.
Plan it. Pick the place. Pick the time. Tell her where to meet you. She'll either show up or she won't.
Either way, you look like a man instead of a scared little boy.
So what? If she's got a problem with it it's a) probably because you have a problem with it and b) NEXTNo no. What I mean is I am seeing an older woman (I'm 26 she's 30 or late 20s) but the topic of age has not come up yet. She is some random sophisticated woman from Facebook.
Last time I went on a date with someone a few years older than me it did not go well and it led to an argument about how she did not think I looked my age as I look younger than I am.
Higher maintenance??? Are you there for her amusement??? The focus must be on YOU! The focus must be on FUN and not on pleasing the woman. I bet if you would just focus on the fun you would be different than her other men.These older decadent women seem to require higher maintenance as they socialise at expensive nightclubs/restaurants etc.
Once again, if she thinks you're cheap, she's just after the money. You don't have to make up for anything.So my conclusion is that because I am young I have to make up for it in a romantic gesture without looking cheap. A rose and some dessert for a picnic in a park in an expensive area of town would be considered romantic and different than her typical 'expensive' restaurant dates.
If I don't bring a rose and something to share in the park it will come across as cheap, but I thought this way would reflect better?
SO you are trying to be like her other guys? I thought you wanted to be different. You're not supposed to care about what she thinks. Do what you think is fun to YOU. Presents should only be given as a reward. If I think a woman is just after my money I CHALLENGE her by not providing anything worth money, so I can see what she is really after.Since I'm younger she'll judge me (like the previous woman I took out that age) to the same men as her peer age group counterparts.. like she's accustomed to a certain level of luxury. This route helps me keep all my money and still provide a somewhat decadent experience.
Look man, just because some girls like to be spoiled and taken to all these places doesn't mean you should feel any pressure to do it. You're cool, you dont need to be taking her to such places.pete101 said:No no. What I mean is I am seeing an older woman (I'm 26 she's 30 or late 20s) but the topic of age has not come up yet. She is some random sophisticated woman from Facebook.
Last time I went on a date with someone a few years older than me it did not go well and it led to an argument about how she did not think I looked my age as I look younger than I am.
These older decadent women seem to require higher maintenance as they socialise at expensive nightclubs/restaurants etc.
I am not planning to take her to any of these places (1 due to fact I am not willing to spend vast amounts of money on any girl. 2 I cannot afford to pay for that lifestyle)
So my conclusion is that because I am young I have to make up for it in a romantic gesture without looking cheap. A rose and some dessert for a picnic in a park in an expensive area of town would be considered romantic and different than her typical 'expensive' restaurant dates.
If I don't bring a rose and something to share in the park it will come across as cheap, but I thought this way would reflect better?
Since I'm younger she'll judge me (like the previous woman I took out that age) to the same men as her peer age group counterparts.. like she's accustomed to a certain level of luxury. This route helps me keep all my money and still provide a somewhat decadent experience.
Three seconds. That's how long it took. Your shoes. Your posture. The way you held your drink. Whether you looked at the floor or looked at her.
She already filed you away. Interesting. Boring. Safe. Bold. Before you even opened your mouth.
Everything you say after that is just her confirming what she already decided.
So stop rehearsing lines. Fix the first three seconds. Stand tall. Look up. Smile like you mean it. Walk like you belong wherever you're standing.
The words come later. The impression comes first.
When a woman says it, guys hear a confession. A heads-up. A scheduling conflict.
Here's the translation: I don't feel anything. Right now. With you.
Watch what happens when a man triggers actual attraction. The busy career, the recent breakup, the "not in a place to date" — all of it evaporates instantly. The same woman who was guarding her freedom is suddenly free every night.
The "22 Rules" explain why. When the right switches flip, her timeline rearranges itself around you.
Your buddy Dave has been single for three years and thinks "hey u up" is a valid strategy. Your other buddy Mike just got dumped and told you to "just be yourself."
You showed them her text. You asked them to decode the emoji. You drafted four responses and sent the screenshot to the group chat for a vote.
She's been waiting forty minutes.
Put the phone down. Stop crowdsourcing your love life. Type something that sounds like you. Hit send. Then go do literally anything else with your evening.