Читать книгу The Rules of the Game - Neil Strauss - Страница 34

DAY

MISSION 1: Refine Your Identity

Today we’re going to focus on the most important piece in the game: you.

In nearly every successful approach, at some point you’ll be asked what you do. If you’ve mastered disqualifiers, your initial response will probably be to tease her for asking “interview questions” and then to claim to be a professional hopscotch player. If she persists, however, you’re going to have to answer truthfully, or else she’ll think you’re hiding something.

The work question is an opportunity that most people waste. One student used to answer, “I’m an engineer.” Engineering, of course, is a noble pursuit, but he felt like it made him sound boring to women.

When I asked him what he was working on, he said he was going to school to learn about new mobile phone technology. So we developed a better way for him to answer the question. Now, when women ask him what he does, he responds, “I’m designing the mobile phone of the future.”

Same occupation, different identity.

In your Day 11 Briefing, there’s an exercise that will help you refine your identity and articulate what you do in a crisp, compelling manner. Your mission is to fill it out and learn to succinctly express what makes you special without bragging.

MISSION 2: Approach and Continue

Approach groups of three or more people that include at least one woman. Use an opener that contains a time constraint and a root.

When you’re finished with the opener, continue the conversation by adding the following movements and lines:

1.	Pretend you’re about to leave, but take no more than one step away.
2.	Look back at the group and ask, out of curiosity, “Hey, how do you all know one another?”
3.	Be ready to respond with a question or comment. It doesn’t have to be anything clever or complex. If they say they’re friends from work, ask, “So where do you all work?” If they say they’re related, say, “That makes sense. I wonder which one of you is the black sheep.”
4.	You may now leave if you wish, with your all-purpose closer, “Nice meeting you.”
5.	You may also choose to continue talking to the group if the conversation is going well. If anyone asks what you do, answer with the identity statement you created today. Try to use the statement in at least one of your interactions.

The task is complete after you have followed steps 1 through 3 with three different groups of people.

MISSION 3: Solidify Your Inner Game

Too many of us have no idea what goes on inside our own heads. We don’t understand our emotions, our passions, our frustrations, our needs, our thinking patterns, and why we sometimes act the way we do. And even when we do understand these things, we often find it difficult to change them.

For today’s assignment, I asked Stylelife senior coach Thomas Scott McKenzie to prepare a report on the most important aspect of the game: your mind. If your inner game needs a new set of rules, this briefing just may change your life.