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.
She calls you when her car breaks down. When she needs help moving. When some guy she's actually dating treats her badly.
You're the listener. The reliable one. The guy who would treat her so much better, if she'd just open her eyes.
She won't. You trained her to see you as the low-effort option — the friend who requires zero risk and zero investment. Every favor dug the hole deeper.
The "22 Rules" break the pattern. You'll stop auditioning for a role she already cast and become the man she chases instead. It starts with Rule 1.
I question the implied premise that one really judge a person's character from banter. There's much more to life than talk.I'm not saying that being a charismatic conversationalist is the easiest thing to do, but things that are worthwhile seldom are; and contrary to what many believe you do not need to be born with it, you can learn how to do it. The question you need to ask yourself is whether you have the fortitude to put aside past limiting beliefs and push yourself to learn how to make women interested by your character without having to deflect her attention using other methods. You need to ask yourself just how long do you feel she would be interested with that charade.
Banter isn't conversation. HUGE difference.Bonhomme said:Sometimes it just doesn't work out, Latinoman. No need to overthink it. Next ...
Francisco wrote:
I question the implied premise that one really judge a person's character from banter. There's much more to life than talk. .
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.
Welcome to my world, welcome to my world... They are out there though. The good thing about it is that once you find them, more times than not they will have an interest in you because you have more depth than the typical guys that hit on them. Use this to your advantage, you'll notice your success rate rise if you can find these needles in the proverbial haystack.Bonhomme said:Strange as it may seem, I agree wholeheartedly, Francisco. But I don't find many gals who can hang with the kind of conversation I find interesting (philosophical matters, music and arts, and yes, the old taboo subjects of politics and religion, etc.). At least not many unattached ones when there's mutual attraction who are within realistic age range.
So what if your resume is not good? Wrong mindset, it's her resume that counts not yours. You're the prize.Bonhomme said:I've found that "sit down and talk" first dates tend to accentuate first date edginess and encourage a "job interview" sort of vibe, which can be great if you have a great resume', but can bury your real character under your past and your stats if your resume' is not so stellar.
That looks all well and fine on paper, but just one big misfortune or bad decision can derail all one's best self-improvement efforts... then the best option is to pick up the pieces and make the most of what you're left with...Of course if you have worked on personal improvement (which you should all life long) & can provide a great resume naturally, she will sense you being the prize even more.
Attraction runs on a clock.
She flirted for weeks. Touched your arm. Found reasons to be alone with you. And you were careful. Respectful. Waiting for the right moment.
The moment had a shelf life. It expired around month two, and by the time you asked her out, she'd quietly filed you under "little brother."
One of the hardest lessons inside the 22 Rules: women rarely wait. Interest either grows or it decays, and nothing decays it faster than a man who never moves.
Make the move while she's still inventing reasons to be near you.
I sense too much negativity in your posts. Why are you even thinking about making bad decisions in your life? You CONTROL where your life goes.Bonhomme said:That looks all well and fine on paper, but just one big misfortune or bad decision can derail all one's best self-improvement efforts... then the best option is to pick up the pieces and make the most of what you're left with...
I do not believe in "thinking you are the prize". I believe in "being the prize", in a natural way. Pretending will lead to failure. The road to being a MAN is long & not easy - but it is possible.On can think they are "the prize" all they want, but there are certain criteria that go along with being thought of in that way, which is what really counts, and we have very limited control over that. The best one can do is find those who value where your current value lies.
Latinoman.....I agree with you on the foreign aspect of dating especially here in the midwest. I have noticed that if I date a white hb7 or higher the issue of money/job is usually brought up early on the first date. Their interest dwindles from there on. I don't see that with fuglys. Interesting you mention that.Latinoman said:Hmmmmm...good point. Plus the fact that he might be a "foreigner" (Eastern Europe?) in Canada might also add to the wound. I know...trust me.
I wonder how old is DJ and how old was that woman.
You paid for dinner. You drove. You said "whatever you want is fine" every single time. All the effort, no expectations.
And she left anyway — probably for a guy who makes her pick up the pizza.
Painful. Also predictable. Her mind quietly concludes that anything requiring zero effort from her is worth exactly zero. You became a free sample, and free samples get taken for granted.
The 22 Rules flip the dynamic. Small shifts that get her investing effort, money, and time in you — until SHE'S the one afraid of losing YOU.