I'm not asking what led you to this forum, pick-up, red pill mindset, whatever.
What I want to know is what pain did you have to experience, or what motivated you to overcome your fears and approach women you found attractive?
When was the pain of staying the same greater than the pain of rejection and embarrassment?
Maybe its not exactly what you are asking, but I remember this very specific moment for me. My previous LTR had broken up with me after more than four years together.
She took a plane to Texas and when she arrived, she ended things over text. Man, I was a wreck (mentally).
I went No Contact but (at the time) I wanted her back. But I only wanted her back because I was afraid I was not gonna be able to pull someone better. I remember posting about the breakup here...
There was one member...For the life of me I cant remember his username...
He said something along the lines of "Lets assume that hypothetically you get back together. She already broke up with you once, how can you know she wont break up with you again later than the road?"
Man, reading those words.....Something just "clicked" inside my head...Just like that, I didnt want her back anymore. Just because I read a small post that made sense to me.
"Never get back with an ex" was one of The Rational Male´s Iron Rules, but during those 4 years I had un-learned a bunch of stuff along the way.
But God had a plan. I started reading again, re-learning basic stuff I had forgotten.
Six months later, I had met and pulled someone so much better, leaps and bounds ahead of her. To this day I still thank my lucky starts she broke up with me; I only wish we had broken up earlier or never went exclusive at all to begin with.