Newbie Mission

A Newbie Mission is a series of small challenges that are specifically designed for people who are new and inexperienced with 'pick-up'. Newbie Missions start off fairly simple and gradually become harder and more elaborate as the 'newbie' progresses. Guys who are just getting into pick-up or Game are often a bit shy, nervous or unconfident. The aim of a Newbie Mission is to expand a guy's comfort zone and develop their social confidence.

Here are some Newbie Missions, from simple to slightly more advanced, that can be tried in both club or everyday environments:

• Eye Contact game – This is a fairly simple challenge that can be applied both during the day or at night, but is probably better during the day. The aim is simple – as you are walking around, make and hold eye contact with people for just a few seconds. Often times, guys who are shy, unconfident or socially awkward will have a hard time maintaining eye contact with anyone – not just girls. This challenge can also be built upon and developed simply by adding a smile to the mix. Once eye contact has been established, you should acknowledge the situation by cracking a small but friendly smile. The aim here is to simply be social and friendly, which will develop your confidence at engaging strangers in a non-verbal way, and will often elicit a positive response in return. Again, this can be expanded upon by saying “Hi”. As a progressive starting mission, first make eye contact with 10 people. Once completed, make eye contact and smile at 5 people, and once that has been achieved, add saying “Hi” to 3 people.

• Engaging strangers indirectly – During the day time, a great Newbie Mission that you can try which follows on from the above suggestions is to stop and interact with a stranger in an indirect way. A good way to do this is to stop and ask random people on the street for directions or to ask for the time. If in a night club, a similar mission is to high five random people or to raise your glass and “cheers!” them. The objective is to keep it short and simple. Once you've been given the time or high-fived a girl in the club – leave. The overall goal is to get you interacting with people you don't know whilst removing the pressure of having to maintain a conversation or think of anything to say.

• Chatting to 'hired guns' – Once you've gotten used to stopping and briefly engaging random people through eye contact, smiling, saying “hi” or asking for directs, the next step is to enter into a conversation with people. This will help develop your confidence at talking to strangers and get you into a more social frame of mind. The easiest people to talk to are shop assistants, charity workers and sales people. When you're at the checkout in a shop for example, simply ask the attendant, “how's your day going?” or other simple questions or statements such as, “working a long shift today?”, “It's pretty busy in here today, isn't it!?” or ask something about them, like - “Are you studying as well as working here...?”.

The aim of all of the Newbie Missions is not to pick-up girls – although if you sense the chance is on, go for it!! - but to simply engage with other people. When bantering with 'hired-guns', the aim is to have a brief, friendly chit-chat while you are being served or looking around the store. Eventually you can build up to more extreme and risky challenges, such as trying to kiss the girl within the first 30 seconds of the interaction, or going for the number close as the opener. The underlying goals of any mission should always be to; Get into a social state of mind, push the boundaries of your comfort zones and - most importantly - have fun!