The Road to Self-Discovery

[Vypros]

I lurked here for a little while before I signed up after finding this site on another message board. And then, one day, someone pointed me to the Book of Pook.

At the time I had several things going wrong with my life. At the time my life was in shambles in about as many ways as you can think of. I had failed at relationships time and again (and I won't go into details about that), so i sought out the internet to learn more about why I was failing.

SO, I found the "Mystery Method", and read it through. I found a lot of good material in there, but it wasn't earth shattering. Then I found "Without Embarassment" and it was a little more real to me, but it didn't really reach me either. Then I started hitting a long list of other ebooks. Thinks like Thundercat's "Art of Approaching", "Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus", "Double your Dating", etc. I have lost count at how many of those books that I read, but none of them really spoke directly to me. Simultaneously, I was trying to improve my life, so I hit the self-help section at the bookstore for other areas of my life. I found Anthony Robbins "Awaken the Giant within", Larry Winget "Shut up, stop whining, and get a life", John Bradshaws "Healing the same that binds you" (<<<excellent, EXCELLENT book, BTW, I recommend you ALL get a copy), Leil Lowndes "How to Talk to Anyone", Dale Carnegie's "How to win friends and Influence People, David Lieberman's "Never be lied to Again", and some others that I can't recall off the top of my head.

I tood the time to mention all the names, because I highly suggest you all to read them. There are nuggets of gold in all of them, and for a true Don Juan, who is not only looking to attract women, but also looking to make real changes in their life, these books are GOLD. I also came into a copy of "Personal Power II" and "Get the Edge" by Anthony Robbins, which is a set of tapes and workshops that talk about all the areas of your life.

All of those books and tapes were great. I can't explain how much I've learned from each of them, BUT...nothing really changed within me.

Then, on another board someone mentioned the "Book of Pook". So, half-heartedly, I downloaded it and started reading.

Let me just say that out of ALL the books I read, none of them reached me like Pook's writings. He inspired me. He changed my frame of thinking and my views on the world. He motivated me to make real changes in my life. That's why I am here. I told myself that I was going to sign up and make 500 posts on this board as an homage to him, because his writings were so profound to me that it accelerated my life beyond anything else I had read (which is why my posts even echo a lot of how he posted). I'm here for an homage to him.

That being said, if I have any advice to give, or any books to recommend to YOU, the Don Juan, then I would condense all that into the following list:

The Book of Pook
"How to Win Friends and Influence People" by Dale Carnegie
"Healing the Shame that Binds You" by John Bradshaw
"Awaken the Giant Within" by Anthony Robbins
Double your Dating by David DeAngelo
The Mystery Method

Those are the books I took the most away from. And those books all contain a healthy mix of learning about not only women, but life in general and affecting real change in your life.

So, i encourage you to read those books. Take the points that are made and internalize them, and use them to fuel your life to something more.

That's the purpose of this thread--self discovery--and if you guys want to add to the list, feel free.

 

[danielzxc]

So, besides feeling good (and/or inspired), what have you actually achieved since reading all this stuff?

 

[BuildingSomethingBig]

If you like Pook's work, he has a blog you might want to check out:

http://dapook.blogspot.com/

 

[Falcon]

Wow Vypros, you sound a lot like me. The reason why I joined this board was because sosuave helped me the most (mainly Pook too). Interestingly, we have also read some of the same books too.

I think what makes pook so successful is he is able to capture the essence of what it is to be a man more than any other author/guru. He doesnt spew out only evolution theories or pop psychology. Instead, he takes from everything including mythology, history, etc. It came to my realization that a lot of people who come to sosuave not only need help with women, but they also need help with just plain growing up (which was definitely my case).

 

[Last Man Standing]

Pook is good for a "Pook" man - but if you want the 'essence" then check this thread....http://www.sosuave.net/forum/showthread.php?t=50480

 

[Full Throttle]

Hell if I am reading 4 books! Go out and get laid!

 

[Jariel]

Hell if I am reading 4 books! Go out and get laid!

:crackup:

I like your way of thinking.

 

[reset]

Another great book is No More Mr. Nice Guy.

 

[Vypros]

So, besides feeling good (and/or inspired), what have you actually achieved since reading all this stuff?

1. I have stopped obsessing over and talking about something that was eating me up. I am to the point where I am over it now--something I thought I'd never get over.

2. I have stopped pointing my finger at the world and blaming everything and everybody else for my problems.

3. I finished my resume, and started sending them out to get away from a job that is eating me up (cubicle hell). I have a job interview tonight.

4. I have sat down, and went through a stack of mail that is over a year old. I had let my bills and everything just stack up and have only paid what was about to be shut off. Now, I've got a financial plan, and am moving forward with it.

5. I have made the conscious decision to go back to school and do what I originally intended to do, but wasn't strong enough to do the first time I was in school.

6. I have started an exercise regime. No, I don't go to the gym. I walk/jog for like 5 miles. I work on my abs. and I do push ups/pull ups. Good enough for me. I've also started eating healthier.


Those are just a few things. Notice how girls are found nowhere on that list? Good, because before reading the book of Pook, girls where on top of that list.

But you know what? I'm FINALLY starting to be happy. I'm finally enjoying my life. I went out and started shooting basketball again for the first time in 12 years. I went up to the lake and went swimming for the first time in 5 years. For the first time in my LIFE, I feel ALIVE again.

That's what Pook's words did for me, and I can only hope that they do the same for all of you.

 

[danielzxc]

So, in other words, you haven't really achieved much yet.

Lol, look, I don't mean to get on your back bro, but come on, you've come on here and basically laid the law down as though you'd actually experienced all this and learnt it first hand for yourself. But that's not true. You're basically just regurgitating and respinning what the self-help industry pundits have taught you. That's the easiest thing in the world to do!

I went through as pretty intense self-help stage myself man, and I know the feeling. I've read most of those authors you listed, and quite a few others besides them.

It's one thing to get all pumped up abou your future and to tell the world all about it, it's quite another to actually DO IT. Quite another thing to experience the inevitable trials and travails that life puts you through and STILL maintain such enthusiasm and optimism. Now, if you do THAT, then maybe you've got some credibility. However, if you're just gonna repeat what you read in some book, well, sorry man, I've heard it all before.

(I don't wanna be too negative. Fair enough, you've made a start. But really, you're still very near the starting line. Way too near it to be writing like you're near the FINISHING line.)

 

[BluEyes]

Yet is happiness and self-satisfaction not the finishline?

What is YOUR ideal finishline, daniel?

 

[danielzxc]

How about bangin' a couple dozen 10s? I mean this is (pretty much) a seduction forum, isn't it?

But yeah, sure, satisfaction and happiness are the ultimate ends of everything. Fair enough. Most of us, though, want to actually accomplish real things as we move through life -- like pick up hot chicks, get good jobs, buy nice things, establish ourselves financially, raise families, or whatever. I'm saying tha before anyone has ACTUALLY DONE these things, it's a bit much to listen to his constant lectures on how you're supposed to do everything.

 

[Bourne]

So, in other words, you haven't really achieved much yet.

Lol, look, I don't mean to get on your back bro, but come on, you've come on here and basically laid the law down as though you'd actually experienced all this and learnt it first hand for yourself. But that's not true. You're basically just regurgitating and respinning what the self-help industry pundits have taught you. That's the easiest thing in the world to do!

I went through as pretty intense self-help stage myself man, and I know the feeling. I've read most of those authors you listed, and quite a few others besides them.

It's one thing to get all pumped up abou your future and to tell the world all about it, it's quite another to actually DO IT. Quite another thing to experience the inevitable trials and travails that life puts you through and STILL maintain such enthusiasm and optimism. Now, if you do THAT, then maybe you've got some credibility. However, if you're just gonna repeat what you read in some book, well, sorry man, I've heard it all before.

(I don't wanna be too negative. Fair enough, you've made a start. But really, you're still very near the starting line. Way too near it to be writing like you're near the FINISHING line.)

Nicely put. Props.

 

[Vypros]

So, in other words, you haven't really achieved much yet.

Lol, look, I don't mean to get on your back bro, but come on, you've come on here and basically laid the law down as though you'd actually experienced all this and learnt it first hand for yourself. But that's not true. You're basically just regurgitating and respinning what the self-help industry pundits have taught you. That's the easiest thing in the world to do!

I went through as pretty intense self-help stage myself man, and I know the feeling. I've read most of those authors you listed, and quite a few others besides them.

It's one thing to get all pumped up abou your future and to tell the world all about it, it's quite another to actually DO IT. Quite another thing to experience the inevitable trials and travails that life puts you through and STILL maintain such enthusiasm and optimism. Now, if you do THAT, then maybe you've got some credibility. However, if you're just gonna repeat what you read in some book, well, sorry man, I've heard it all before.

(I don't wanna be too negative. Fair enough, you've made a start. But really, you're still very near the starting line. Way too near it to be writing like you're near the FINISHING line.)

I beg to differ.

I have acheived something that I thought was going to be impossible for me. I've overcome "demons", if you will, that I've been wrestling with for over 10 years.

I have gotten peace of mind and confidence. And you know what I've found? Everything else is just naturally coming together for me. That's why I preach it like I do, because I've experienced it first hand!

I just NATURALLY approach EVERYBODY now. There's not fear. No intimidation. None of that crap. No games. And if women were a focus in my life, I WOULD HAVE THEM. I have purposely put females on the backburner, though, because I don't WANT a female in my life right now. But you know what? I HAVE FEMALES AROUND ME THAT WANT TO GET WITH ME.

Take, for instance, a girl at my local photocenter. She has been burning up the telephone wires calling me trying to get with me. But I don't want her. A cashier at the local walmart is constantly flirting with me and hinting that she wants to go out with me, BUT I DON'T WANT HER RIGHT NOW.

Don't get me wrong, these girls are pretty. The one is probably a 7 and the other is a straight 10, but I'm not intimidated by that anymore. I am in control of who I am with, and at this time I have made the decision to stay the hell away from girls for a while.

Do you understand me now? Do you see why I preach my (or rather Pook's) technique? Because by changing my FOCUS off of them, I have began to ATTRACT them more and more. Before that, I couldn't even get girls to LOOK at me.

That's why I preach it. That's why I emphatically deny anyone who teaches any other way, because the most NATURAL way has been the most effective. And when I first started, I used things like negs and built rapport and all that mumbo jumbo. And it worked for a little while, but it always fell short because I hadn't worked the INSIDE out.

Now I have, and now I am watching everything in my life naturally gravitate towards where I want my life to be.

Understand? It's important that you understand this, because it's about your LIFE and not WOMEN! Girls aren't my focus right now, and I don't WANT girls in my life right now, but somehow I can't keep them away from me!

Get it? Read it again.

The fact that things haven't changed over night doesn't mean I haven't accomplished anything. Because all the other things are just immaterial to the fact that I'm FINALLY getting the inside "demons" worked out, and I'm witnessing first hand how all the outside things are starting to just fall in place because of it. Yeah, I still have to take ACTION to get them to fall in place, don't get me wrong, but now TAKING ACTION is as second nature to me as breathing. It just comes natural.

And let me tell you there is no GREATER FEELING than being able to do this stuff naturally.

 

[Jon55]

1. I have stopped obsessing over and talking about something that was eating me up. I am to the point where I am over it now--something I thought I'd never get over.

2. I have stopped pointing my finger at the world and blaming everything and everybody else for my problems.

3. I finished my resume, and started sending them out to get away from a job that is eating me up (cubicle hell). I have a job interview tonight.

4. I have sat down, and went through a stack of mail that is over a year old. I had let my bills and everything just stack up and have only paid what was about to be shut off. Now, I've got a financial plan, and am moving forward with it.

5. I have made the conscious decision to go back to school and do what I originally intended to do, but wasn't strong enough to do the first time I was in school.

6. I have started an exercise regime. No, I don't go to the gym. I walk/jog for like 5 miles. I work on my abs. and I do push ups/pull ups. Good enough for me. I've also started eating healthier.


Those are just a few things. Notice how girls are found nowhere on that list? Good, because before reading the book of Pook, girls where on top of that list.

But you know what? I'm FINALLY starting to be happy. I'm finally enjoying my life. I went out and started shooting basketball again for the first time in 12 years. I went up to the lake and went swimming for the first time in 5 years. For the first time in my LIFE, I feel ALIVE again.

That's what Pook's words did for me, and I can only hope that they do the same for all of you.

Damn well said. :rockon:

I've recently come across this too. It really is nothing about the girls at all, it's all about you. Become the better man, and grow up in the world. Girls? Well, they'll notice. And when they do, you won't be ready for it (but you'll sure love it ).