Growth Pop » pickup

How to: take someone’s wallet just by asking

marc — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 20:15:58 +0000

Derren Brown is an NLP Phenomenon. Check out these videos where he predicts exactly what three women are thinking, takes someone’s wallet just by asking, and convinces someone to completely forget the thing they wanted most not 30 seconds before. He uses a combination of techniques, including NLP, to convince, predict, and amaze.

(more videos after the jump)

To learn more about Derren, check out his website. He’s also a painter. The prices are steep, and based on these videos I wouldn’t try to negotiate him down…

Review: The Authentic Man Program

admin — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 23:26:41 +0000

Location: SOMA/Mission district of San Francisco, CA
What it is: The Authentic Man Program (AMP) presents an opportunity for you, or any man, to get really curious about who he is. This course gave me the tools to feel and understand that the way other people experience me is different, sometimes drastically, from the way I might expect or hope for them to experience me.

At the risk of being slightly dramatic, the best way I can describe it is this: take the movie “The Matrix,” and imagine that you were in the matrix a few days before the events of the movie occur. Even if you ran into Neo and started telling him everything that was about to happen to him — about how the world is actually a computer simulation, that he’s actually asleep in some field somewhere, all of it — there’s no words you could speak such that he would actually understand on a deep level what’s about to happen to him. You just have to do it to get it.

Growth Potential: AMP is targeted to men seeking to improve their understanding of self, especially around women and relationship dynamics. Everyone’s experience is different, but I got an understanding of the behaviors, attitudes and emotions that I had when it came to relationships. The male and female coaches at AMP were excellent at helping me see the dormant, suppressed, and otherwise unexpressed emotions; moreover they were patient and understanding in coaching me to deep breakthroughs around my own hangups.

That all sounds very therapeutic and clinical, which is the most surprising part: of all the people I know, I was the last person on my list of people who need therapy. I didn’t think there was any benefit in talking about my hangups and desires to other people, in fact I was pretty convinced that I didn’t have any major issues to begin with.

Pop Potential: In my AMP, there were a lot of guys who teach traditional pick up courses, which offer a different approach to relationships — and in my opinion, less satisfying. Since taking the course, I’ve seen many, many men who are interested in learning to pick up women also end up taking AMP and finding a more grounded “inner game.” Basically, this course is for any man who wants to improve his relationship skills and dating life, i.e. 99% of men.

“Get Real” Potential: Not often, but sometimes Decker or other leaders of the course will talk about supernatural/energistic, woo-woo type stuff. Having a scientific background, my initial reaction is to cringe at the suggestion of any kind of magical, physical manifestations. C’mon guys, strong are you with the Force, but not that strong!

What I Got out of it: I discovered my innate ability to create badass relationships in my life, whether for a night, a week, months or longer.

Learn more about Authentic Man Program

Review: The Game, by Neil Strauss

scott — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 02:59:06 +0000

What it is: ‘The Game’ chronicles 2 years of the life of Rolling Stone columnist, Neil Strauss, as he infiltrates a society of Pick Up Artists and transforms his skills with women. Strauss goes from a self-described “chick repellant”‘ to, well, the self-described “best pickup artist in the world.” Through his tales, readers learn the outlook and techniques of so-called PUA’s as they seduce their way into controversy and infamy.
Growth Potential: Strauss successfully seduced Britney (pre-meltdown) and scored a girlfriend wayyy out of his league (see picture). But this book is light on lessons that leave you touched, moved or inspired.
Pop Potential: The Game is is a fast, fun book that I digested on a vacation. It’s a #1 NYTimes bestseller, and is under development for a movie adaption to be released in ‘08. Pop that!
“Get Real” Potential: The hardcover edition is bound like a bible, with gold leaf on the pages and everything. This made it easy to disguise what I was reading poolside, but it’s hardly a tome to live by. It’s a disposable but delicious read whose values are based in getting off, not getting deep.
What I Got out of it: Motivation. If you’re a single fella, this book can help get you excited to get out and about, be okay with a little rejection, and start playful conversations with women.

Learn more about The Game