Epiphanies

I have learned that the process of learning game is not based around a linear learning curve, it is a series of steps that occur suddenly. One day your game will be at X level and suddenly the next day, you'll have some sort of realization and your game will now be at X+5.

Yes. I do believe it is quantifiable in that way.

Last weekend was a step like that for me. I found myself in a situation where not only had I gamed two HB8s successfully, but the 3 guys that approached to steal them were effectively disarmed. They were disarmed to the point of later coming over to chat me up again once I had number closed my target. They suggested I hang with them sometime. Super.

Then later that night I opened two HB9s by just being plain rude. I ejected, and after a few minutes of steaming, they re-approached me curious as ALL HELL. WhooAh!

Its also important that one spends a certain amount of time at a particular level. It's not likely one will take two great strides forward in the same week, and a guy shouldn't want to. There's something of value to be learned at every skill level.

A third point that I would like to make is that there's typically a short dry spell before an increase in skill. One will have 2 or 3 nights where their game is just off... they're out of the zone. Then BOOM! The next night takes you by surprise.

Pickup and Music Production Parallels

When I first got into pickup, I used to think that AFCdom was battered into every guy's brains through music, movies and television, and to an extent I still believe this, but I've also realized the principles of pickup are also out there in po-culture for the taking. Us guys simply make a decision to have selective listening.

I was driving home from work just a few minutes ago, and the local top 40 station was playing "I'm Real" by Ja Rule feat JLo. I'm not a big fan of the song, but I caught some lyrics that really stood out to me as a woman outright stating the basics of the pickup, and the frustration a lot of women face.

"I met so many men and
It's like their all the same
My appetite for lovin
Is now my hunger pang.

And when I'm feelin sexy
Who's gonna come for me?
My only problem is
Their insecurity."

Can you get anymore blatent? I wonder how I failed to understand these things before finding some direction through the community.

Before I started producing music, I would listen to a song and not question the elements, but judge whether or not I liked the song based on the song as a single entity. After becoming a producer; however, I began to dissect songs into their individual components: I don't like that snare, that kick is heavy, I like the chord progression of that bassline.

Interestingly, though, this analysis in and of itself became a snowball-effect problem. I began to both listen and produce based entirely on elements and lost sight of the big picture. I had to consciously make an effort to regain what I had lost and listen to both the elements, and the whole picture to truely become a skilled producer.

I think one's path of enlightment while persuing pickup is a similar process... someone truely skilled at social dynamics both understands the intracies of the individual aspects while also being able to keep the big picture in mind. As a newb, I focused so much on each individual routine, body movement, hand placement, word that I lost sight of the big picture and forgot to enjoy a girl's individuality.

I think the lesson I'm learning is that being skilled at pickup is both being a master of complexity AND a master of simplicity. The frame is the big picture, if one has the right frame, the intricacies fall into place, but in order to understand the proper frame, one must first tackle individual aspects of one's behavior.