Friday, March 13, 2009

The Game: Getting out of the Gate



As promised, I've begun Neil Strauss's The Stylelife Challenge: Mastering the Game in 30 Days.

So far, it's pretty innocuous.

The first mission for Day 1 involved some basic self-assessment. I'd say it's not a bad way for pretty much anyone to prepare for entering the dating world.

That was followed by some pretty sound advice about what Strauss has deemed a "limiting belief."


A limiting belief is something that you believe about yourself, or other people, or the world--and although it isn't actually true, the fact that you think it is holds you back from experience and success. Any time you tell yourself you "can't" do something that's within the realm of human possibility--that's a limiting belief.

Well, I can't really argue with the man there. Parents teach children essentially the same thing from a very young age. (See: The Little Engine that Could)

He goes on to give a few examples of common limiting beliefs and to counter those with "Reality." And I tend to agree with both his common examples and his methods of dispelling those beliefs.

I'll give you an abbreviated example.


Limiting Belief: Women are attracted to assholes.
"Reality": It ain't that women are attracted to assholes. It's that women are attracted to men who are (or seem) strong and can make them feel safe. (Belle's thoughts: Just so happens that most guys who accomplish this have a bit of the asshole thing going on, too.)

Anyway, after going through the process of recognizing and dispelling those pesky limiting beliefs, Strauss wants you to go out and, yanno, DO something. So the final challenge for Day 1 is to go talk to some folks. (Specifically, some folks you don't know.)


Mmmkay. Not usually a problem for me, but I can see where it'd be useful for a lot of people.


So, again. We're at the beginning, covering the basics. I'd imagine this is the kind of stuff that begins many of the target audience for a book about dating (shagging/marrying/what-have-

you) whichever sex arouses your libido.

So, onward we trudge. Day 2 to come!




2 comments:

HomeImprovementNinja said...

You know...there was a woman who cooked all the recipes in a Julia Child book and wrote a book (a best seller!) about it.

I don't know what the rest of the assignments are, but it would be interesting if you kept detailed notes about it and turned it into a book (I, of course, get 10% for suggesting it...20% if you want me to be your manager/PR Agent).

Kristin said...

I've got Day 1 covered. Ready for Day 2 ('cause I'm just gonna read you instead of the book).