Alex Shalman . comPractical Personal Development

The time in my life when I got serious about personal development started on the tail end of me studying books on how to pickup women. The whole pickup world became a fun hobby for me and several of my friends, so we ended up reading a few more books than one would deem… healthy. Regardless, it wasn’t long before I realized what the underlying message in these books was, or at least the message that I got out of them.

Become a better you that is more interesting, and more valuable. Pickup is a great way to build confidence and propel people into social interactions that they may not have had the nerve to get into before. In a way, pickup teaches you not to just be socially competent, but excel in all social interactions.

The problem with being just a set of techniques is that after 20 minutes of performing captivating maneuvers to capture the attention and interest of women you will have to start being yourself. Whatever it is that is unique and amazing about you as a person will have to shine eventually.

Neil Strauss, a best selling author and master pickup artist, wrote two books that were of particular interest to me. The Game: Penetrating the Secret Society of Pickup Artists, which discussed his entry into the seduction community, and how he went from dud to stud. His newest book, Rules of The Game, are actually two books in one, in which he discusses both the light and dark side of the game.

I thought it would be a great opportunity to go and meet Neil Strauss yesterday at his book signing in New York City. I think his ideas are excellent, and despite what his genre, or focus of his business is I believe him to be a very inspirational person for millions of people. Alright, I’m also a fan of his writing, and his stories are definitely captivating, not to mention hilarious.

Regardless if you agree with what the pickup community preaches, if you put aside your personal views on the subject, you might also be able to see the greater good in what Neil is doing. Likewise, you might also be able to see the greater evil. On one hand, Neil encourages people to reach a new potential. On the other hand, with this new found power comes responsibility, which could be misused if used by the wrong person.

I didn’t go to this event solo. If you guys remember Marina Tsipenyuk, who recently wrote The evolution of co-mentoring relationships: a quest for dialogue, accompanied me to the signing. Before we went I gave Marina a fair warning that Neil’s fans would most certainly be actively practicing pickup techniques. Unfortunately, after all attempts were made, she was left unimpressed by any pickup approaches that night.

During Q&A Marina asked Neil a really interesting question that got a great laugh from the crowd:

How does a man who uses The Game approach a woman that uses The Rules.

If you haven’t heard, The Rules is a step by step booklet that tells woman how they should act toward a man, in order to first have him fall for her, but ultimately find and marry Mr. Right. This question got a few laughs, but I think it’s a really interesting topic that I’ll cover at a later time.

My overall impression is that Neil is a very down to earth guy, and I hope to see more of him as he continues his career in pickup, personal development and writing. If you haven’t done so, pick up The Game, and Rules of the Game on amazon or your local book store.