The Science of Attraction: Why You’ve Not Met Someone - Matthew Hussey (Bonus Episode)

Deep Dive with Ali Abdaal
8 Jun 202353:40

Summary

TLDRIn this episode of 'Deep Dive,' the host discusses modern dating complexities with relationship expert Matthew Hussey. They explore the four stages of attraction, common dating mistakes, and practical advice for building connections. Hussey emphasizes the importance of understanding chemistry, perceived value, challenge, and compatibility in relationships. The conversation delves into maintaining desire in long-term relationships, highlighting the balance between love and desire, and the necessity of adapting to sustain attraction.

Takeaways

  • 😀 The modern dating landscape is complex, with fewer organic meetings and an increased reliance on dating apps, leading to a paradox of choice and challenges in standing out online.
  • 🔍 Matthew Hussey, a dating and relationship expert, emphasizes the importance of understanding the four stages of attraction: chemistry, perceived value, perceived challenge, and connection to build lasting relationships.
  • 💡 Chemistry isn't just a mystical experience; it can be influenced by how we present ourselves, our movements, and the ability to create tension.
  • 🏆 Perceived value in a relationship is about what we bring to the table, such as personality traits, life achievements, and social circles.
  • 💰 Perceived challenge isn't about being 'hard to get,' but about ensuring that our value as a potential partner is something that needs to be earned through genuine engagement and commitment.
  • 🤔 The importance of not rushing to judgment based on a single date or interaction, as it's crucial to understand the person beyond the initial charm or charisma.
  • 🔗 The concept of 'unique pairing' in attraction, where two distinct yet complementary qualities in a person create a more profound appeal.
  • 💌 The 'handkerchief' metaphor for modern dating suggests that small acts of service, like asking for a favor, can be an effective way to initiate conversation and connection.
  • 🤝 The 'two-hit theory' encourages being approachable and engaging in small interactions with multiple people, which can lead to more organic and less pressured connections.
  • 👫 Long-term relationships require balancing love and desire, with the understanding that desire often exists in the space between two people, and love builds as they get closer.
  • 📚 For sustaining desire in a relationship, it's essential to listen to your partner's needs and pay attention to what stokes their feelings of love and attraction.

Q & A

  • What is the podcast 'Deep Dive' about and who hosts it?

    -The podcast 'Deep Dive' is a weekly show where the host engages in conversations with authors, entrepreneurs, academics, experts, creators, and other inspiring individuals to understand their journeys and the strategies and tools they use to build a life they love.

  • How has modern dating evolved compared to the past, according to the podcast?

    -Modern dating has become more complex due to factors such as the prevalence of online dating, the decline of in-person events, and the paradox of choice where everyone seems just a swipe away. This contrasts with the past where choices were fewer and relationships were often formed through more organic means, such as marrying a neighbor or someone from the local community.

  • What are the four stages of attraction as discussed in the podcast?

    -The four stages of attraction mentioned in the podcast are chemistry, perceived value, perceived challenge, and connection. These stages can help individuals understand and self-diagnose potential issues in their relationships.

  • Why is 'perceived challenge' important in maintaining attraction, and what does it entail?

    -Perceived challenge is important because it adds an element of desirability and intrigue to a relationship. It does not mean being 'hard to get' but rather ensuring that your value has a 'price' and must be earned by the other person through genuine actions and respect.

  • What is the 'handkerchief' metaphor used by Matthew Hussey, and what does it signify?

    -The 'handkerchief' metaphor is used by Matthew Hussey to illustrate a subtle way for women to initiate interactions with men. It refers to an old-fashioned practice where a woman would 'accidentally' drop a handkerchief to give a man an opportunity to approach her, thus allowing her to be proactive in a socially acceptable manner.

  • How does Matthew Hussey define 'unique pairing' in the context of attraction?

    -A 'unique pairing' in the context of attraction is when two distinct qualities that are both attractive on their own come together in one person, creating a 3D effect that is mesmerizing. For example, someone who is sexy and also goofy can create a unique pairing that is more attractive than the sum of its parts.

  • What is the 'two-hit theory' mentioned in the podcast, and how can it be applied in social situations?

    -The 'two-hit theory' suggests that when entering a social environment, one should engage in small interactions with multiple people (the first hit). These interactions make it easier to have more in-depth conversations later (the second hit) because the initial contact has already established a level of approachability and openness.

  • What mistakes do people often make while dating, as discussed in the podcast?

    -Some common dating mistakes discussed include overvaluing initial chemistry, misjudging a person's character based on superficial traits, and not being open to different types of people who may not fit the usual 'type'. Additionally, people often overlook the importance of compatibility in a relationship.

  • How does the podcast address the issue of 'nice guys' and the common stereotype associated with them?

    -The podcast challenges the stereotype of 'nice guys' by suggesting that labeling someone as 'nice' can be misleading and may prevent individuals from exploring potential relationships with people who may not initially seem exciting or attractive but could offer a deeper connection.

  • What advice does Matthew Hussey give for maintaining long-term desire in a relationship?

    -Matthew Hussey advises paying attention to the moments that stoke desire in your partner and replicating those in the future. He also emphasizes the importance of listening to your partner's needs and giving them what they require to feel loved and desired, even if it's different from what you personally crave.

  • What is the role of 'compatibility' in a successful relationship according to the podcast?

    -Compatibility is crucial for a successful relationship as it ensures that both partners want to live the same kind of life and have aligned values. Without compatibility, even strong admiration, connection, and commitment can lead to a relationship that is not fulfilling or sustainable.

Outlines

00:00

🎙️ Introduction to the Podcast and Modern Dating Challenges

The host opens the podcast by expressing excitement about engaging with various inspiring individuals. The discussion shifts to modern dating, noting its complexities compared to previous generations where choices were fewer but relationships were more straightforward. Today, dating apps and online interactions introduce challenges like standing out on a small screen and dealing with the paradox of choice. The host mentions Matthew Hussey, a dating and relationship expert, who will provide insights into navigating these issues.

05:01

💑 Matthew Hussey's Background and Approach to Dating Advice

This paragraph delves into Matthew Hussey's journey from public speaking to becoming a renowned dating and relationship coach. It highlights his initial setbacks, such as being rejected by Dale Carnegie's office, and his eventual success in helping women with dating advice. Hussey's perspective as a male advisor in a predominantly female field is emphasized, stressing the value of a man's viewpoint in bridging communication gaps between men and women.

10:02

🧲 The Four Stages of Attraction According to Matthew Hussey

The conversation with Matthew Hussey explores the concept of attraction, breaking it down into four distinct phases: chemistry, perceived value, perceived challenge, and connection. Each component is discussed, highlighting how they contribute to building attraction. The importance of not rushing into assessments and maintaining a balance between the components is stressed, as well as the role of chemistry in attraction.

15:04

🔄 The Importance of Balance in Attraction and Relationship Stages

The paragraph discusses the pitfalls of misjudging the importance of different stages in a relationship. It warns against placing too much value on the initial stages of attraction and chemistry, which can lead to overlooking long-term compatibility. The four stages of a relationship—admiration, connection, commitment, and compatibility—are outlined, emphasizing the necessity of a mutual 'yes' to progress through these stages.

20:06

🚫 Understanding Common Dating Mistakes and the Role of Projection

Here, the host and Matthew Hussey address common dating mistakes, such as focusing too much on someone's charm or success without considering their potential as a partner. The discussion touches on the importance of not projecting our desires or insecurities onto potential partners and the dangers of ignoring the stages of a relationship.

25:06

🤔 Attraction as a Choice and the Influence of Past Experiences

This section delves into the nature of attraction, questioning whether it's a choice or a result of our past experiences. It explores the idea that we may be drawn to what we know, even if it's not beneficial, and the importance of being open to different types of people. The conversation also touches on the influence of social proof and the need to be aware of our own biases and patterns in attraction.

30:07

🎭 The Concept of Unique Pairing in Attraction

The paragraph introduces the concept of unique pairing in attraction, where two contrasting yet attractive qualities in a person create a more profound appeal. It discusses the importance of not being one-dimensional and the risks of doubling down on a single strength to the point where it becomes a weakness, using the analogy of being an album with diverse songs rather than a single hit.

35:08

📚 Matthew Hussey's Dating Advice and the 'Handkerchief' Metaphor

The host shares Matthew Hussey's dating advice, focusing on the metaphor of the 'handkerchief' as a way for women to initiate contact subtly. It discusses the importance of being approachable and the benefits of small acts of service in sparking connections. The advice aims to give women more proactive tools in their dating lives, without feeling like they're going against traditional norms.

40:08

🤝 The 'Two-Hit' Theory for Approachability and Initiating Conversations

This section introduces the 'two-hit' theory, which emphasizes the importance of being approachable and engaging in small interactions with multiple people in a social setting. The theory suggests that these initial interactions can lead to more organic and natural conversations later on, reducing the pressure and nervousness often associated with approaching someone attractive.

45:10

💏 Long-Term Relationships, Desire, and the Honeymoon Phase

The final paragraph explores the dynamics of long-term relationships, focusing on the distinction between love and desire. It discusses the honeymoon phase and the challenges of maintaining desire in a relationship where love has developed. The importance of understanding and meeting each other's needs for both love and desire is highlighted, as well as the value of listening to one's partner.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Attraction

Attraction in the context of the video refers to the process of being drawn towards someone romantically or sexually. It is a fundamental aspect of dating and relationships. The video discusses the four stages of attraction: chemistry, perceived value, perceived challenge, and connection. For example, Matthew Hussey explains that attraction is not just a mystical occurrence but can be broken down into these distinct phases, which can help individuals understand and potentially improve their romantic interactions.

💡Perceived Value

Perceived value is the worth or importance that individuals believe they hold in a potential partner's eyes. In the video, it is one of the four components of attraction. It encompasses qualities such as personality, skills, lifestyle, and social circle that contribute to one's attractiveness as a potential partner. The script mentions that perceived value can manifest in various ways, including how one's friends and family are perceived, indicating the multifaceted nature of what makes someone valuable in a relationship.

💡Perceived Challenge

Perceived challenge is the notion that there is an element of difficulty or effort required to 'win' someone's affection or to maintain their interest. It is highlighted in the video as a critical component for sustaining attraction. The script discusses how perceived challenge is not about playing games but about ensuring that one's value is not given away too easily, thus maintaining a sense of intrigue and desirability in a relationship.

💡Chemistry

Chemistry is used in the video to describe the intangible connection or spark between two people that can indicate potential for a deeper relationship. It is part of the initial attraction and is influenced by factors such as physical appearance, how one carries themselves, and non-verbal cues. The script gives examples of how chemistry can be affected by someone's movement and expressions, which can change how attractive a person appears in person compared to in photos.

💡Compatibility

Compatibility in the video is the degree to which two people are well-suited for a long-term relationship. It goes beyond initial attraction and involves shared values, lifestyles, and expectations. The script emphasizes that even with admiration, connection, and commitment, a relationship may fail without compatibility, as it is the foundation for a sustainable partnership.

💡Dating Apps

Dating apps are digital platforms that facilitate meeting and connecting with potential romantic partners. The video discusses the impact of dating apps on modern dating, including the increased complexity of choosing a partner and the challenges of making a good impression in a limited digital space. The script mentions how dating apps have changed the dynamics of meeting partners, with more reliance on online interactions.

💡Paradox of Choice

The Paradox of Choice is a concept that suggests having too many options can lead to decision-making difficulties and dissatisfaction. In the context of the video, it refers to the overwhelming number of potential partners available on dating apps, which can make it harder to choose and commit to one person. The script discusses how this paradox can affect users' feelings of self-worth and satisfaction with dating experiences.

💡Projection

Projection in the video is the act of attributing one's own feelings, beliefs, or desires onto another person, particularly in the context of romantic interest. It is mentioned as a potential pitfall in dating where one might assume a connection or compatibility based on limited information, leading to unrealistic expectations. The script warns against the dangers of projection, advising daters to base their assessments on actual interactions rather than assumptions.

💡Unique Pairing

Unique pairing is a concept introduced in the video to describe the combination of two distinct and attractive qualities in one person, creating a more compelling and multi-dimensional appeal. The script uses the example of someone who is both sexy and goofy to illustrate how such pairings can lead to a more engaging and attractive personality in a potential partner.

💡Honeymoon Phase

The honeymoon phase is a term used in the video to describe the initial period of a relationship characterized by intense feelings of love, desire, and excitement. It is often followed by a more stable and realistic phase of the relationship. The script discusses the importance of recognizing and understanding what stokes desire in a partner during this phase and how to potentially sustain those feelings in the long term.

💡Two-Hit Theory

Two-Hit Theory is a concept presented in the video to improve approachability and social interactions in dating contexts. It involves making small, non-threatening interactions with multiple people in a social setting, which can make one more approachable and open to further conversations. The script explains that this approach can reduce nervousness and increase the likelihood of meaningful connections.

Highlights

The modern dating world is complex, with fewer organic meetings and a reliance on dating apps which come with their own set of challenges.

The paradox of choice in dating apps leads to a small percentage of users receiving the majority of attention, leaving others feeling overlooked.

Social media contributes to feelings of envy and inadequacy by showcasing unattainable lifestyles.

Matthew Hussey's journey from public speaking to becoming a renowned dating and relationship expert.

Hussey's unique perspective as a male dating coach offering advice to women, acknowledging the male viewpoint in dating.

Attraction is not mystical but can be broken down into four phases: chemistry, perceived value, perceived challenge, and connection.

Chemistry is influenced by physical appearance, movement, and the ability to create tension.

Perceived value in dating is about what one brings to the table, including personality and life achievements.

Perceived challenge is key to sustainability in a relationship, not just playing 'hard to get'.

The importance of not overvaluing someone too quickly based on a single interaction or date.

Understanding the four stages of a relationship: admiration, connection, commitment, and compatibility.

The danger of mistaking intense chemistry for a solid foundation of a relationship.

The concept of 'unique pairing' in attraction, where two distinct qualities create a 3D effect of interest.

The importance of not being just one 'great song' but an 'album' with diverse qualities in a relationship.

The 'handkerchief' metaphor for women to initiate interactions without going against traditional dating norms.

Practical advice on how to approach someone you're interested in by asking for a small favor.

The 'two-hit theory' for being approachable and creating opportunities for natural conversations.

The distinction between love and desire in long-term relationships and the importance of maintaining both.

The honeymoon phase as a period of intense desire and the importance of recognizing what sustains desire in a relationship.

The skill of creating and maintaining love and long-lasting relationships is developable and shouldn't be left to chance.

Transcripts

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hey friends and welcome back to Deep

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dive the weekly podcast where every week

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it's my immense pleasure to sit down

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with authors entrepreneurs academics

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experts creators and other inspiring

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people and we find out how they got to

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where they are and the strategies and

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tools that we can learn from them to

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help build a life that we love now

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navigating the world of modern dating is

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actually pretty hard these days back in

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our parents generation there wasn't a

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lot of choice but the fact that there

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wasn't a lot of choice meant that it was

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actually a lot easier to find love

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because you would just marry the person

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who owns the plot of land next door or

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their daughter or their son or whatever

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the case might be but nowadays things

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are a little bit more complicated we are

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much less likely to meet our potential

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Partners organically and the sort of

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decline of in real life events is very

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much a thing and to counteract that we

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are way more likely to meet our partners

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online through dating apps or websites

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and this comes with a whole bunch of

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complicating factors like how do we best

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stand out on a six-inch iPhone screen

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and how do we take the right photos and

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how do we come across in a way that like

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is a bit quirky but not too quirky and

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all of these different things that our

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grandparents generation didn't even

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really have to think about and added to

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that we have the whole Paradox of choice

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situation going on we where everyone is

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just a swipe away and therefore you know

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all of the stats around dating app users

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show that basically the top one or two

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percent of people get like 90 of the

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swipes and that leaves the rest of us

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feeling a bit sad that we're not getting

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any swipes on dating apps and on top of

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that we have this whole thing around

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comparisons so apps like Instagram and

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Tick Tock and all that kind of stuff

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showcasing us Lifestyles that we don't

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have or encouraging the feeling of envy

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and jealousy and that feeling that we're

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not quite good enough so we are going to

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be talking about all that in this

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episode of Deep dive where I had a very

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lovely chat with Matthew Hussey now

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Matthew is a dating and relationships

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expert and coach and over the last 10

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plus years he has helped millions of

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people find love and build and maintain

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strong relationships through his book

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through his content through his

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workshops his YouTube channel has nearly

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3 million subscribers and his book get

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the guy is in New York Times bestseller

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now Matthew's Journey started out in

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public speaking when he was a teenager

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Matthew went to a Tony Robbins event in

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London and he realized that the process

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of communicating to a live audience was

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something that he felt motivated and

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inspired to do and then you know as

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everyone does he had a few bumps in the

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road he tried to get a job at Dale

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Carnegie's office and he got rejected

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but he took the rejection on his chin

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and he decided to try and become a

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public speaker and then after doing a

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few public speaking gigs around London

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he really ended up finding his niche in

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helping women navigate the world of

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dating so he's a guy who gives dating

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advice for women and his stuff broadly

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helps women become more confident and

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become better in their interactions and

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dealings with men and hopefully helps

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build better relationships overall now

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it's very understandable that you might

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be thinking if you have not yet come

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across Matthew Hussey's work before and

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especially if you're a woman why should

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I as a woman be taking dating advice

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from a guy and one thing I really like

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about Matthew is that he fully

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acknowledges that this is a thing there

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are plenty of women out there giving

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dating and dating advice for women but

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there are not that many men giving

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dating advice for women and so it's just

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really a different perspective from the

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side of the guy and it's kind of a good

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way to bridge the communication and

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expectation gap between men and women

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anyway in this episode we're going to

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learn about firstly the four stages of

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Attraction secondly we're going to talk

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about mistakes that we make while dating

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thirdly we're going to go over some

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practical dating advice and fourthly

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we're going to be talking about the

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secret to long-lasting desire now one of

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the first things that Matthew and I

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talked about is how attraction works

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most of us tend to think of Attraction

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as this magical thing that just happens

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and you hear all these phrases like I

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felt a spark and we had great chemistry

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and we just hit it off that speaks to

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this almost mystical nature of what

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attraction really is but if we actually

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break it down and look at the evidence

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that people have looked at around what

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actually builds attraction then

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Matthew's going to talk about how it's

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actually split up into four distinct

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phases

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I talk about the

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um

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there being a kind of a formula and I

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don't mean this crudely I I just mean

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there are certain components to deep and

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Lasting attraction

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you have chemistry

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um

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perceived value

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perceived challenge

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and connection

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the reason I like this model is because

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when you look at this you can usually

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see you can sort of self-diagnose

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where something may be going wrong

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chemistry is interesting because there's

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certain there's a certain intangible

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there and an unknown there and not we

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certainly can't control all of it but we

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can control some of it you know with the

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way the way that we look how well we

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take care of ourselves the way we move

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importantly is a big factor in chemistry

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which is why you can sometimes see

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someone in photos and think they're

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really attractive and then you meet them

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in real life and you kind of go Oh weird

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I don't feel the same way it's also why

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you can get back from a date and and say

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oh my God I just had this amazing date

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with this incredibly hot person and if

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you show pictures of that person to your

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friends they're like

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okay yeah

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I guess you know because you you were

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there yeah you were there you saw how

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they move how they smile how they

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gesture how they their micro Expressions

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so there's certainly things we can do to

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affect chemistry uh and obviously you

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can create tension too which is a big

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factor in chemistry in chemistry then

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there's perceived value and perceived

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value is all these things that that we

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are and do that bring value to the table

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it might be our personality uh it might

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be the things that we're good at in life

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it might be our life the life that we've

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built

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um can sometimes be our friends and

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family you know sometimes you meet

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someone's friends and family and you go

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whoa this is what a life this is to come

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into they have an amazing group of

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people around them so much love so much

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so there's a lot of ways for perceived

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value to to manifest itself then there's

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perceived challenge

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and the interesting thing about

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perceived value is it goes down

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regardless of how many things are in

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that category

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if there's no perceived Challenge

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and perceived challenge is not uh

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the kind of I don't know a typical way

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of thinking about it I guess would be

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like hard to get

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it's not that's a cheap way to create

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challenge because the problem with hard

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to get is you can't keep it up forever

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the moment you are got yeah

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if someone's if your attraction was

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built around the getting then you can't

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sustain it

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but if

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the the real beautiful sustainable way

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to create challenge is for there to be

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uh for your value to have a price

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okay what do you mean

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that that your value doesn't come for

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free your value is something that has to

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be earned

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by the someone showing up in the way

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you're prepared to show up by someone

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being prepared to make the kind of

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sacrifices you're prepared to make for

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someone

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um by someone giving to you on a level

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that you're willing to give respecting

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you on a level that that you respect

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them

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um

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and also not giving someone too much

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credit too quickly

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that's a a big problem when we come from

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a needy place when we come from a place

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of insecurity we start giving people

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credit they don't deserve yet

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I just met them I just had the most

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amazing date with the most amazing

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person oh my God they're incredible

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based on what

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based on how on what basis what

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information could you have possibly got

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on one date

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that enables you to say this

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you

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you have been seduced by a kind of charm

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Charisma maybe the fact that you did

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something really fun on the day the fact

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that they made you laugh a lot the fact

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that they told stories about their past

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that made them relatable or sympathetic

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or seem really authentic all of that is

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great I'm not I'm not saying be

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inherently suspicious I'm saying

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you don't know yeah

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you don't know so on what basis are you

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giving them all of this value already

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based on projection

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and based on insecurity this immediate

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putting them on a pedestal and putting

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yourself down here and when someone

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smells that

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they don't see an equal anymore

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and that's that's what I mean when I say

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challenge I don't mean artificially

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constructing

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games or Hoops for people to jump

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through

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I mean that the the criteria you have

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for someone has to be real yeah it has

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to be real like

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it's you and I met today for the first

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time

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really enjoying our conversation hope

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you are too absolutely you know but we

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don't know each other yet as friends you

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don't know if I'd be reliable if you

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needed something you don't know if I

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would show up to support you if

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something went wrong in your life you

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don't know you don't know any of that

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so

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you know it would be dangerous to go

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away and make it an assessment on how

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great of a friend I would be yep based

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on this exchange it what what you would

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hope in an organic situation is that you

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and I go

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this was really really fun we got on

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really well this was a great

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conversation I would like to get to know

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this guy better that would be like it'd

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be really cool if we could hang out

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outside of the podcast

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but it's not I have to be friends with

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with Ali you know like we I have to

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because he's a he's an amazing guy you

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know like yeah that's that now that's

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projection that's dangerous because I'm

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basing that on the fact that you're

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clearly outwardly a very impressive

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human and what you've achieved what

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you've done is very impressive and you

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seem to have had a really amazing kind

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of impact on a lot of people and those

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are all amazing things those are amazing

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things in their own right

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it's not about devaluing those

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but

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I have no idea what your value would be

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as a friend

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until we try being friends

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and the mistake people make in dating

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commonly

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is they look at someone's

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stats

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how Charming were they how charismatic

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were they how successful are they

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um you know where are they in their life

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what kind of person do they seem to be

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but none of that exists in relation to

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to you

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that's all just you admiring

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what this person has or is

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but none of it says this person's going

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to be a great boyfriend or a great

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girlfriend none of it says they're going

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to be loyal none of it says they're

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going to be reliable none of it says

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they're going to be a great teammate all

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it says is this person seems on these

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metrics

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to be attractive and in any relationship

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you have to go through for for in terms

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of importance you have to go through

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four stages

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one is admiration

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that's just where I can see someone and

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admire them from either up close or far

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wow this person's pretty impressive and

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attractive not very important in the

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stages not important necessary but not

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important yep

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then there's a connection

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or chemistry you both you need you know

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that's the next stage of do we feel

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connected to each other and is there a

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kind of chemistry all right now it's

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slightly more important because now it

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becomes Mutual yeah now it's not just me

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admiring you it's oh there's something

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between us yeah

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not important

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because necessary yeah but not important

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how many people have ruined their lives

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over the fact that they had chemistry

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with someone even when that person was a

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terrible partner a terrible person to

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base their their decisions on

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the next stage is a commitment

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okay I admire you we have mutual

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chemistry and connection and we're both

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actually saying yes to each other I deal

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with people every day where they have

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this stage but that person isn't saying

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yes

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they're saying yeah I'd like to see you

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this Friday

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at 11 o'clock

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but they're not saying yes to an actual

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relationship

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so you need commitment to go to the next

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stage of importance but many people are

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treating something like it has total

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importance even though they're only at

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the second stage so you need a yes you

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need commitment

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now you would say if you've got that

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that's the most important thing you can

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have you've got someone you admire

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you've got someone you have a connection

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with in chemistry and you've got someone

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who is committed

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it would seem like that was everything

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but that kind of idea is it Virgil love

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conquers all love does not conquer all

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two people saying yes to each other

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doesn't

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make for a long-term relationship you

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also have to have the fourth stage of

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importance which is compatibility

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are you actually compatible because if

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you're not

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you can say yes I want to be with you

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yes I'm committed

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but that lack of compatibility will show

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up in ways that will make both of you

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miserable well what do you mean by

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compatibility it could be anything it

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could be uh my idea of a good time is

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staying home watching movies and yours

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is constantly traveling around the world

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it could be your idea of a good time is

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going out and drinking and doing drugs

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and I don't want to live that life and

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we've both said yes to each other

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but

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that you know our idea of what is a good

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life is completely different or our idea

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of loyalty is completely different your

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idea of loyalty is that I don't have sex

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with anyone my idea of loyalty is that

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you don't emotionally cheat on me

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in the texts you send yeah you know that

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we've both said yes to each other we

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have admiration connection commitment

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and yet I am miserable because of what

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your definition of loyalty is

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so compatibility is do we both want to

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live the same kind of life and and do

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our values line up and do we both have

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the same idea two people can say I value

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kindness but we can have very different

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standards

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for what kindness actually means

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so

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without that stage so many things go

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wrong my

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what what I mean to say with all of this

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is that

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we lose our value in dating

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when we stop paying attention

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to the appropriate level of importance

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at different stages

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if you

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take stage two

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I found someone I have a connection with

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as the be-all Endor and the thing that

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you

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martyr yourself in service of

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you lose all your value

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you you are now the person who spends a

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lifetime uh accepting really poor

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treatment from someone because every

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time you see them it's amazing you don't

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understand when we're together it's so

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good it's so incredible they're so there

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for me that the sex is amazing the

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chemistry is amazing we have such

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amazing conversations

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what's the problem I haven't heard from

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them in two weeks

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but Matt you don't understand the

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connection is incredible you don't know

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like this this is really important to me

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why

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why because you you have miscalculated

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the value of stage two and when you do

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that you lose your value because someone

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realizes your value what you're willing

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to give has no price

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it's free it does not need to be earned

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so your perceived challenge

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drops and when you're perceived when

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there's no challenge to you when someone

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realizes your value has no price

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then you lose respect and you and you

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end up losing real value as a result

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which is crazy but I know it all sounds

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kind of heady but it

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you know it really this stuff is real

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whether you whether when someone there

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will be people listening to this

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guarantee there'll be someone in the

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comments

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who says oh does it all need to be so

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difficult can't you just be yourself and

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the answer is no

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because you may not be doing the things

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that make you confident or that show

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your real value you shouldn't be uh

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someone you're not

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but people Define being themselves as

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holding on to all of their the things

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that make them make bad decisions or

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that make them uh their trauma or the

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things that they haven't healed or the

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things that make them chase after

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someone who will ruin their life that's

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not being yourself that's that's not

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healing that's not doing the things that

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are necessary for you to attract a much

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more quality version of connection and

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love in your life so the reason that

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I've geeked out on all of this stuff is

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because

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the consequences of ignoring what I'm

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saying are a life of suffering and I

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have watched it over and over again I

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have watched women get to their 40s

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where they just gave up 10 years of

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their life to a guy that was never

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giving them what they wanted was never

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on the same path as them but they

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ignored it because they valued the

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connection so much

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well they valued the chemistry so much

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or both and now their window for having

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children of Their Own

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has has gone

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and the grief that comes after that is

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profound Okay so we've talked about the

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four components of Attraction let's now

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go into some of the mistakes that we

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make while dating

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one thing I've often heard and I don't

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know I don't know to what extent this is

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just a stereotype or if it's actually

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actually a thing

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um

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the the Trope of women saying something

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like you know I know I want to marry Mr

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Wright but I find myself attracted to Mr

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exciting and

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I get I guess it's a situation that

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you've dealt with I I'm I'm kind of

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guessing but and and I guess I want to

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lead lead from that into the question of

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to what extent is attraction a choice

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and how much like if for example I find

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myself attracted to the sort of person

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who is not good for me and whatever

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whatever that might look like can I

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nudge my deep core into being attracted

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to the nice guy or the whatever or is it

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like uh like what's what what's going on

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there what a fantastic question

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um

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I think that to an extent we Chase what

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we know hmm

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and sometimes being attracted to

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something other than what we know or has

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historically have been attracted to is

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um a matter of curiosity

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of actually opening ourselves up to a

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different kind of person to a different

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kind of situation and exploring it for

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all it is we tend to be very we make up

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our minds quite quickly about things

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even labeling someone a nice person the

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the you know Elaine the button would say

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they're not that nice

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do you know nice is a it's a kind of a

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mask they could be as freaky as the

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freakiest person you've ever met when it

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comes down to it you know this this idea

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of labeling someone a nice person is um

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or labeling someone the bad boy why what

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because they didn't call you for three

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days that makes them a bad boy

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you know but because they were a bit of

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a jerk to the to someone like they're

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the bad boy like what do you

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what is that what is that label

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do you think they're the bad boy all of

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the time like you think they're that

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person 24 hours a day of course they're

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not but based on this label you've given

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them they're exciting based on this

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label you've given this person they're

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boring so I think that yes of course

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there is a sense of there's a kind of

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reflexive attraction that we can have

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for people but I think that's a

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sometimes a lack of imagination and a

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lack of curiosity if you took time to

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actually get to know

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somebody I'm not saying you go on a date

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with someone where there's absolutely

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zero chemistry and you just keep hitting

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and hoping yeah and going oh I'll see

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them again because maybe one day

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chemistry could come about no I don't I

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don't believe that

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but

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I always think if if you feel like some

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some kind of interesting tickle in a

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direction that you haven't felt it

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before and you go well this isn't

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normally my type or this isn't normally

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my personal this isn't I feel something

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follow that

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give that chance because that might

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actually lead you somewhere you've never

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been before and where you've never been

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before might be the answer

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I think that we we prejudge a lot we

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judge what we're supposed to have what

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we think our friends and family would

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would validate yeah you know oh he's

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really good looking well done yeah you

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know and you so you kind of start

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looking for that even though you might

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find that an attraction with this person

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that doesn't look like that

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you feel validated by the fact that

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other people are

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are giving you the the social proof

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around that person so you feel like you

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keep and that's by the way it's how

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people get themselves in so much trouble

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they show off their their partner and

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their oh my God he's so tall handsome

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and successful look at you good job

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and they're miserable at home with this

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person but every time they go out and

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hear

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well he's he's very impressive and they

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go oh I should like yeah I should I

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should I should be grateful this

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person's amazing I should continue to be

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grateful you know

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so we have to be careful of the outside

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conditioning yep

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um and we also have to be careful Dr

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Romani would and people in her

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profession uh psychologists would talk

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about the kind of the trauma Bond

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that exists when we've been used to you

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know a parent that neglected us or that

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that was very hot and cold in our lives

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and that becomes kind of what we know

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and so we get attracted to to that

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behavior in others

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um and we try and complete a journey

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that never felt finished When We Were

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Young And it so we also have to be very

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careful of what we're labeling

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attraction am I labeling this trauma and

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this heightened sense of anxiety that I

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have around you because you're fickle

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and you never make me feel secure am I

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labeling that excitement oh I I just

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what is it I've got with this person I

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and the more they they don't call me the

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more I'm like oh they there's something

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special about this one why is it why why

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are they getting more attractive the

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less they try yeah what's going on here

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you know we have to really suspect those

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things in ourselves

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and I think that an another way of

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looking at attraction and again I'm not

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this I'm not an advocate for don't care

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about chemistry care about chemistry but

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if you start to lay look at all the

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things that would make an incredible

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partner

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and

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and would make you feel secure and at

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peace

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and if you start valuing kind of a a

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real sense of deep peace

play23:43

over

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the kind of drug-fueled high

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then you are going to start looking at

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people a little differently because

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you're not going to over index for

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chemistry you may still see it as

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necessary it's a necessary ingredient

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but I don't have to live my life trying

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to find the greatest chemistry of my

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life

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it's the same way

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you know when it comes to food or drugs

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there's a feeling of I'm looking for the

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greatest High

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but the greatest High isn't the thing

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that will make you the happiest

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sustainably there's different kinds of

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energy that make

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a person attractive

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I pride myself on the fact that if you

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come to one of my speeches

play24:33

you may just laugh and cry in the same

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speech

play24:38

that's that's what I call a unique

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pairing in attraction a unique pairing

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is when you find two different qualities

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that are both attractive

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but on their own can be a bit too

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dimensional

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but when you find them in the same

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person

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that creates a 3d effect that is

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mesmerizing

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so if you find someone who's really sexy

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but then they can be completely Goofy

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and make you laugh

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that's a unique pairing you're like whoa

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that's normally someone's just sexy

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normally someone's just funny and I want

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to eat pizza with them but I don't want

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to go home with them

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now I find someone that is super sexy

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and then after the fact I want to spend

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all day with them laughing

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well we might just have a relationship

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you know that's a unique pairing and I

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think that a lot of people have

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forgotten that they've they've become

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addicted

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to a certain way of being that has

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worked for them yeah if it's being like

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hard-headed in business that's worked

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for them but the problem is you're what

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and usually it starts young right what

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we get validated for we keep doing if

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you're funny you keep being funny if

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you're successful you keep acquiring

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more success if you're

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if people like you for your looks then

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you double down on that we all have

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those things that we got validated for

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early on and our validations become our

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mutations they become the things that we

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go we we keep doubling down on and we

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become less and less Diversified in our

play26:07

energy our personality

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you can't be you can't be one great song

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you have to be an album like every

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everyone has to be an album some album

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albums have sad songs they have happy

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songs they have Up Tempo songs they have

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slower songs you you gotta be able to be

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all of those things and everyone should

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ask themselves men and women alike

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am I being an album

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or am I being this this one great hit

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and hoping that someone sticks around I

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had a relationship with someone years

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ago uh in my early 20s when or it was

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just as I was approaching my 20s and I

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remember asking this person why it

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months after the relationship ended I

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was like why did you not want to be in

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it anymore

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and she said honestly I said

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yes

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I guess she said it got boring

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she said you were so ambitious

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and that was really really attractive at

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first

play27:05

but then it was all you were

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it was like you it was all you could

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talk about it was all we did was you

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just talk about work and whatever it was

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never anything else and it was a very

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important lesson for me in my life

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because I realized that one side of a

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unique pairing

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can actually Christopher Hitchens uh

play27:24

once said that

play27:26

the key in relationships is not allowing

play27:28

your advantages to negate themselves oh

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nice and the in his case what he was

play27:35

talking about is he was obviously a

play27:36

formidable debater on the stage

play27:39

and he did it for a living but

play27:41

when he was at home

play27:43

he said when he was in an argument with

play27:45

his wife

play27:46

the guy on stage would come out

play27:49

and really think about how to win this

play27:52

argument and even after the fact he

play27:54

would go away and like work on his case

play27:56

and come back and be like all right I've

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got the death blow to your argument

play28:00

and he realized there was no points for

play28:03

that in his relationship this was the

play28:06

mother of his children

play28:07

he was not trying to win a debate on a

play28:09

stage

play28:10

your advantages can negate themselves

play28:13

it's worth everyone asking what are

play28:16

what are the strengths I've been riding

play28:18

on

play28:19

and where have they become my my

play28:22

greatest weaknesses okay so those were

play28:24

some of the mistakes that we've made

play28:25

let's not talk about some dating advice

play28:27

and and you know how we talked about

play28:28

earlier that in our grandparents

play28:30

generation there were a lot fewer issues

play28:31

to navigate there were still issues to

play28:33

navigate when it came to dating and

play28:34

relationships and marriage but they were

play28:36

different issues to what we have today

play28:38

and so this is Matthew discussing some

play28:40

of the dating advice that applies to the

play28:41

modern day

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I read a book

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a very well-known book for women at the

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time it was called the rules oh yeah I

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read that a couple years ago it's super

play28:53

interesting very interesting and I you

play28:57

know I'm I don't

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at the time there was some there was

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something in there that I read and I

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went

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that's not true for me

play29:08

you know there was a there was a

play29:10

particular sentence or a chapter I can't

play29:12

remember but it basically said if a guy

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isn't coming over to you

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then he's he's not interested

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they'll forgive me if I misphrased that

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but I it got that was the kind of tone

play29:29

of it and I I remember thinking

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everything about my life has said that

play29:34

the opposite is true Yeah the more

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interested I am yeah the less likely

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yeah I remember I remember reading that

play29:40

kind of stuff and thinking oh this is

play29:43

wow this is you know I literally have

play29:47

spent my life doing the opposite of that

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and that kind of sparked something in me

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because I thought

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I wonder how many women

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are only ever meeting the loudest guy in

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the room yeah the one within with the

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confidence to approach them whereas the

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other 90 of dudes are just like a theme

play30:07

of written off either as not interested

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or as

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um

play30:14

cowards yeah

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you know you if you don't and I I would

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hear women say stuff like that when you

play30:20

know if you don't if you don't have the

play30:22

kind of stones to approach me yeah then

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I don't want to know you I don't know if

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I yeah I want you anyway and I felt very

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rejected by that because I was like

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I'm like a good human being you know I

play30:36

would be great for for someone in a

play30:38

relationship I have a lot to give I you

play30:40

know

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and the idea that I would be measured

play30:43

simply on that moment that I decided not

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to go and interrupt someone's

play30:48

conversation and sort of say hey

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um based on nothing at all really yeah

play30:55

other than the fact that I think you're

play30:58

pretty I'd like to get to know you which

play31:00

is a problem for men

play31:04

from the outset is you don't want to be

play31:08

superficial

play31:09

you want to form a connection that says

play31:14

hey I'm not just some creep I'm not just

play31:16

objectifying people I actually want to

play31:18

get to know you but the very reason

play31:20

you've gone over to someone in the first

play31:22

place is because you find them

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attractive that's a hard thing to yeah

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it's a big sort of cognitive dissonance

play31:28

there where you sort of yeah you you

play31:30

know why have you come over to me yeah

play31:32

because I have felt like what you did in

play31:35

the last year at work was really

play31:36

impressive and you don't know that so

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that's for the most part is what you

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have to go on is someone's at best you

play31:43

could say someone's energy if you really

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wanted to make it about something that

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didn't feel as superficial as looks

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something about your style exactly your

play31:51

aura yeah but but I um

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I started to think well

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there's actually a lot of really amazing

play31:59

guys out there

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who aren't in the habit of racing up to

play32:04

Every Woman they're attracted to

play32:06

how do you get women Meeting those guys

play32:08

because if you could just solve that

play32:10

problem you actually are gonna you're

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gonna be responsible for a hell of a lot

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of relationships

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and this was

play32:17

pre-dating apps so dating apps

play32:21

solved some of that problem because it

play32:24

gave people an opportunity to approach

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whoever they liked from the safety of a

play32:29

screen which we know has its problems

play32:30

too because you could do now all sorts

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of things from the safety of being

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behind the screen

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but I

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before dating apps I I figured well if I

play32:41

can get women to be able to approach a

play32:43

guy

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that they wouldn't normally meet

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because he's kind of hanging back and

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just

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you know doing his thing and he's not

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the kind of guy that's running up to

play32:54

everyone all the time

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that will have been to some effect and

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so I I started talking about this idea

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of the handkerchief and I kind of became

play33:04

known for the videos

play33:05

and that was one of the handkerchief for

play33:07

people metaphor that I started speaking

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about very very early on where I it was

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my way of telling saying to women

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you don't have to

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tell yourself this story that if you

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approach someone you're somehow going

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against your

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nature or what's or the way things are

play33:28

supposed to be if that's even true but

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but a lot of women have been conditioned

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to believe that the guy is supposed to

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make the move and I would say well if

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you think that's old-fashioned you don't

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know what old-fashioned really is

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a hundred years ago a woman might walk

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past a guy find him attractive and

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inadvertently drop her handkerchief in

play33:47

front of him he would see it pick it up

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and think this is an extraordinary

play33:51

opportunity to be a man and he'd take it

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over to and he'd say Madam you dropped

play33:55

this and and she would say did I and

play33:58

they would now have a conversation he

play34:00

may have felt he was being the proactive

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one by ah I'm gonna pick up this

play34:04

handkerchief and walk it back over to

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her what a great opportunity to make a

play34:08

move

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but she had initiated that move she was

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the one who made the move she just made

play34:14

him feel like he was the one making the

play34:16

move

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and that there's some there seemed to be

play34:19

something very interesting in that to me

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the okay regardless of whether you think

play34:24

women can or can't make the move of

play34:26

course they can

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but it almost what I was getting at is

play34:29

it doesn't matter

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what you believe

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if I can give you a way to be proactive

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that kind of feels like it's a bit under

play34:38

the radar then I'm going to get even

play34:39

people who feel like it's not my job to

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make the move I'm even gonna get them

play34:43

being proactive in ways they haven't

play34:45

before so I started translating the idea

play34:49

of the handkerchief into practical

play34:51

things that women could do and it was

play34:53

the results were really stunning because

play34:56

women suddenly felt like

play34:58

they had choice

play35:00

that they never had before they were

play35:02

able to get dates

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and exchange numbers with people and

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create activity in their love life

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and they hadn't been doing that for some

play35:13

for some people for years

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they had never had much opportunity in

play35:17

their love lives

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and all of a sudden not only were they

play35:20

being proactive and creating opportunity

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but they were doing it with people they

play35:24

were attracted to they would being they

play35:27

were choosing instead of being chosen

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which was very cool so what are the what

play35:30

are the modern day handkerchiefs on that

play35:33

topic I so there was a a book that

play35:36

talked about the

play35:38

the idea that likability

play35:41

was affected by our ability to do

play35:44

someone a favor

play35:47

um now what the study showed was not the

play35:51

obvious that if we do someone a favor

play35:53

they'll like us more is that if we do

play35:55

someone a favor we like them more

play35:58

as long as the favor is not onerous it

play36:01

can't be something difficult but if

play36:02

we're able to do a small act a small

play36:05

favor for somebody we actually like them

play36:07

more

play36:08

and I started looking at that in the

play36:12

context of the handkerchief and I

play36:14

thought that sort of feels like it

play36:15

applies there especially it's almost

play36:17

feels more potent in the direction of

play36:19

man to woman because a lot of guys have

play36:21

this sort of

play36:22

you know I want to be needed I want to

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feel like I'm able to do something for a

play36:27

woman I want to feel necessary which is

play36:29

a big problem right now in dating

play36:31

because men are feeling less and less

play36:32

necessary uh and you know everyone's

play36:36

trying to figure out their place right

play36:37

now in the world which is I find really

play36:40

fascinating uh the the kind of rules are

play36:43

being Rewritten but

play36:45

what I saw is with the handkerchief is

play36:47

oh a guy

play36:49

has an opportunity to kind of perform a

play36:52

small favor which is giving the

play36:53

handkerchief back so then I said well

play36:55

what's an equivalent of of them there's

play36:59

all sorts of little ways you can ask for

play37:01

a favor you could say excuse me would

play37:03

you just watch my jacket for a second

play37:05

while I use the restroom which could be

play37:07

done

play37:08

in a coffee shop in the daytime I just

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need to use the restroom when you watch

play37:12

my jacket for a second

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um or you know I always like the start

play37:16

of the phrase being I could you know

play37:17

could I get your help with something or

play37:19

I could really use your help with

play37:20

something could you watch my jacket for

play37:22

a second while I go to the bathroom do

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you know anywhere good around here for X

play37:25

what did you order that looks really

play37:27

good I you know it

play37:30

these are all very small things but they

play37:33

give someone the opportunity to do a

play37:35

small Act of service for us what I also

play37:38

like about it is it breaks the ice in a

play37:41

way that doesn't feel like breaking the

play37:43

ice so when you come back from the

play37:45

bathroom and you say thanks so much for

play37:47

for watching my jacket

play37:49

if you then say how's your day going

play37:51

anyway

play37:53

um or you know it looks like that that

play37:56

book looks really interesting or

play37:58

whatever

play37:59

you feel like you're already starting at

play38:00

30 mile an hour yeah

play38:02

versus if you were just there and you

play38:04

turned to someone and went how's your

play38:05

day going yeah that's a bit weird now

play38:08

you can do it but

play38:11

it's a lot of people feel like they need

play38:14

that like 30 miles an hour to get going

play38:17

so that became my version for people of

play38:20

dropping the handkerchief is ask a very

play38:22

small and easy favor of someone

play38:24

and then allow that to be the bridge to

play38:27

a natural conversation nice

play38:29

yeah that I guess is fairly us somewhat

play38:32

similar to the whole uh indirect openers

play38:34

that guys will often use around like hey

play38:36

you know can you tell me where the

play38:37

nearest coffee shop is or something like

play38:39

that I'm oh I'm new here oh where are

play38:40

you from it's like it's just a way of

play38:42

prompting a conversation in a way that's

play38:44

not something like hi I thought you were

play38:46

pretty and I wanted to talk to you 100

play38:48

which takes a large amount of well

play38:49

almost too much confidence

play38:51

yes and you know there's how you they

play38:55

can make someone else feel awkward and

play38:57

there's all sorts of things I I think

play38:59

for anyone else for anyone out there man

play39:01

or woman one of the things if if this is

play39:04

the kind of content you're interested in

play39:06

that I have found most helpful in my

play39:08

life

play39:08

is something I call two hit Theory which

play39:13

is the idea that

play39:16

how when you go out into any environment

play39:22

you have to be someone who's easy to

play39:25

talk to you focusing on approachability

play39:28

as as important as focusing on how to

play39:30

approach

play39:33

and

play39:34

what a lot of us do is we go into an

play39:37

environment we wait until we see someone

play39:39

that we're attracted to

play39:42

and then we obsess over what the hell we

play39:44

would say if we tried to talk to that

play39:45

person and now we spend the whole

play39:47

time that we're there becoming more and

play39:49

more nervous as the stakes get higher

play39:51

and higher and we start to imagine how

play39:54

wonderful this person is that we think

play39:55

is attractive and how lucky the person

play39:58

is that gets them and all the thing the

play40:02

qualities about them that we wouldn't

play40:03

admire if we got to know them they

play40:06

become something they become this

play40:08

projection that is so removed

play40:10

from what we actually know about them

play40:13

right now which is we just saw an

play40:14

attractive person that's it

play40:18

two hit theory is when you go into a

play40:20

room

play40:21

the first hit as it were is

play40:26

small interactions with people

play40:29

it might literally be like that looks

play40:31

really good

play40:32

because someone ordered a plate of food

play40:34

and you're like that looks great that's

play40:36

a that's a hit that's an interaction

play40:38

it might be

play40:40

um walking up to the bar or the counter

play40:42

and someone's next to you and you're

play40:44

like hey how's it going

play40:47

like a moment you don't remove the

play40:49

intention there's no intention it

play40:50

doesn't need to go anywhere it doesn't

play40:51

need to be a conversation nothing just a

play40:54

moment

play40:55

and you do that with more people than

play40:58

you normally would you have these little

play41:00

hits

play41:02

now what to me is really really powerful

play41:05

about this is such an understated thing

play41:07

but what's really powerful about it is

play41:10

most people when they go to any

play41:12

environment they're either alone or

play41:14

they're with one or two friends

play41:17

outside of those one or two friends

play41:21

who's the person they're most likely

play41:24

to talk to at some point during the

play41:27

evening at some point during that event

play41:30

they're going to talk to the the most

play41:33

approachable person they're going to

play41:35

talk to the person they've already had

play41:38

some small interaction with that became

play41:40

a kind of green light for a natural or

play41:42

organic Exchange

play41:45

if you

play41:46

if the natural or organic exchange with

play41:48

someone it's weird to say that you're

play41:50

their third best friend in the room yeah

play41:52

[Laughter]

play41:54

and if you go around

play41:56

being the third best friend of everybody

play41:59

who came with two people

play42:01

just because you are a little bit more

play42:04

approachable than everybody else

play42:06

then it's you're gonna find that a some

play42:10

interactions just gravitate back to you

play42:12

an hour later or two hours later

play42:15

B even if you're the one who initiates

play42:17

you already have that initial

play42:20

interaction to go by

play42:23

and the fact that that initial

play42:25

interaction didn't come with you

play42:29

like there's always something about

play42:30

someone coming over to you and talking

play42:31

to you for the first time and then sort

play42:33

of standing there and facing you as

play42:35

they're talking to you and you're almost

play42:37

unable to process whether you find them

play42:40

attractive or whether you uh want are

play42:44

interested in what they have to say

play42:45

because you're so busy worrying about

play42:46

are they ever going to leave yeah

play42:49

so when someone does this to hit theory

play42:52

that that first thing that first

play42:56

interaction you have with people

play42:58

helps them also they've already

play43:01

recognized that you're not the kind of

play43:03

person that needs them yep

play43:06

you left the first time

play43:09

so now when you speak to someone it the

play43:13

stakes feel much lower for something

play43:14

like safety as well like you don't feel

play43:16

as if yeah they're just not going to

play43:18

leave they're just going oh God it's

play43:20

like getting on you know what it's like

play43:22

you know when you get on a plane and the

play43:24

person next to you

play43:25

starts talking to you hmm now maybe

play43:29

you're in a sociable mood and that's

play43:30

awesome

play43:31

or maybe

play43:33

like me you sort of have a whole bunch

play43:36

of things that you're kind of excited to

play43:38

do on that plane one of them being

play43:39

nothing yeah

play43:41

and there's a part of you and it's not

play43:44

the best part of you but there's a part

play43:46

of you that instantly goes oh no am I

play43:49

next to a talker is this now gonna be my

play43:52

flight

play43:54

when someone says something

play43:57

for 30 seconds

play43:58

and then says well it's nice to meet you

play44:01

and then goes back to their book you go

play44:04

oh yeah okay and then it's almost like

play44:08

you wouldn't mind if you ended up

play44:09

talking to them more because you go oh

play44:11

this person's chilled they've got their

play44:12

own thing going on that's I I liken it

play44:16

to that and too often when we're in the

play44:18

mode of I want to get something

play44:20

we forget to communicate to other people

play44:23

that we don't actually need them so at

play44:27

this point we've spoken about attraction

play44:28

we've spoken about the mistakes that we

play44:30

make in dating we've spoken about some

play44:31

tips for navigating the dating Market in

play44:33

the modern era and we ended the

play44:35

conversation by talking about long-term

play44:37

relationships

play44:39

a couple questions about long-term

play44:40

relationships so uh

play44:43

honeymoon phase what's what's the deal

play44:46

with that yeah I you know I'm I'm I

play44:49

don't want to be really careful on this

play44:51

because

play44:52

talking uh from a place of humility I

play44:56

I've not been in the kinds of long-term

play44:59

relationships that other people have I'm

play45:01

now engaged

play45:03

um incredibly uh Happy

play45:06

and excited about the future

play45:09

um but there will be people who

play45:12

you know have like Esther perel's work

play45:15

is a really big influence for me because

play45:17

this is someone who not only has had a

play45:20

long-term marriage but has written

play45:22

extensively on the subject of Love and

play45:24

Desire yeah in relationships and I would

play45:26

absolutely Point people to her book

play45:28

mating in captivity which I think is an

play45:30

extraordinary read and something that so

play45:34

many people can learn from to paraphrase

play45:37

Esther's work which is no doubt much

play45:41

more eloquently put in her book she says

play45:44

that there's love and there's desire and

play45:46

that love

play45:48

um

play45:49

well let's start with desire desire is

play45:52

what exists first

play45:53

we see someone we become attracted to

play45:56

them and we desire them and we want to

play45:58

close down the space between us and Them

play46:00

desire exists in the space right the

play46:03

mystery who are you what are you all

play46:05

about could you like me could I win you

play46:07

over could you know I want to know you

play46:09

and then as someone says yes

play46:12

[Music]

play46:13

you have the building of love

play46:18

so we start to know each other we start

play46:20

to get closer and closer and closer and

play46:22

closer and closer and we have this

play46:24

feeling of kind of Oneness between us

play46:26

and and all of that Fosters feelings of

play46:29

love

play46:31

uh as Esther would put it the Paradox

play46:34

becomes how do you continue to desire

play46:36

that which you already have

play46:38

and so now as you kind of become that

play46:42

unit

play46:43

there's less space between you they may

play46:45

feel like there's no space between you

play46:47

and so desire becomes suffocated because

play46:50

desire exists in that space

play46:54

and then you so then you enter that

play46:56

world of well what does

play46:59

what does desire look like in a long

play47:02

term

play47:03

context we don't want to play a game in

play47:06

a long-term relationship where we kind

play47:09

of are constantly making our partner

play47:11

feel on edge yeah so that there's a

play47:14

sense of danger and and yet

play47:17

desire sometimes wants a sense of danger

play47:19

desire sometimes wants a sense of

play47:21

mystery desire wants a sense of

play47:23

spontaneity of the new of the

play47:25

unrecognizable now people want it to

play47:28

differ in extents right the honeymoon

play47:29

period is going to be much more

play47:31

important to some people than others

play47:32

because some people are are wired and

play47:36

engineered to want security

play47:39

so for them love is going to be much

play47:42

more important for them to achieve than

play47:44

to maintain feelings of desire for other

play47:46

people they're engineered in the

play47:48

opposite way it's much more important

play47:49

for them to constantly feel like that

play47:51

excitement than it is for them to feel

play47:53

safety not that they don't want to feel

play47:56

safe at all but it's just the balance is

play47:58

different

play47:59

and so I think what's kind of

play48:02

interesting is

play48:05

firstly to to to try to

play48:08

find somebody who's not engineered

play48:10

completely differently than you hmm

play48:14

where they you know it's all love and no

play48:17

desire or it's all desire and no love

play48:19

because that's going to be miserable

play48:23

but you may find that you're not

play48:27

calibrated exactly the same in those two

play48:29

things and that's okay

play48:31

but

play48:32

but that to me is where it's really

play48:34

important to listen

play48:37

to your partner's needs we we get so

play48:40

caught up in a relationship in figuring

play48:42

out what we need what's my love language

play48:46

what what makes me feel loved and the

play48:49

and the dangerous thing is that

play48:52

we start giving to somebody else what we

play48:56

would wish they would give to us so if

play48:59

we like security then and we think

play49:01

that's the highest thing you can give

play49:04

someone then we start going out of our

play49:07

way to give them as much security as

play49:09

possible I love you I love you I love

play49:10

you I love you I'll never leave you I

play49:12

think you're the most amazing person on

play49:13

Earth and so on we give them lots and

play49:14

lots of security right and we end up

play49:17

giving them that thing that We crave but

play49:20

it doesn't mean you're wrong for craving

play49:22

it just means that you're you're not

play49:25

necessarily listening

play49:27

to what that person requires because

play49:29

they may just be engineered a little

play49:31

different so I think it's really

play49:34

valuable to just think about what

play49:37

what are the things

play49:38

that make my partner that Stoke desire

play49:41

in my partner because in a way that to

play49:43

me is what the honeymoon the honeymoon

play49:45

period is a couple of things firstly

play49:46

it's thinking we're perfect I think

play49:48

you're perfect you think I'm perfect and

play49:50

that just feels unbelievable and idyllic

play49:52

and then we realize we're not perfect

play49:53

and they go you go through a storming

play49:56

period and the dust settles and now you

play49:58

have a real relationship where we

play50:00

actually see each other and say I'm

play50:01

still here even though I really see you

play50:03

now that's the to me that's the

play50:05

transition into a real relationship

play50:08

um but but beyond that it's also I think

play50:10

the the honeymoon period is that period

play50:12

of intense desire yeah

play50:15

I think it's worth paying attention as

play50:18

you transition in your relationship to

play50:20

whatever the next phase is really pay

play50:22

attention to what are the moments where

play50:24

my partner

play50:25

feels desire hmm

play50:28

and this can be a kind of exercise in

play50:31

really paying attention like right write

play50:34

them down and it may sound weird to

play50:36

people but like right because you will

play50:38

forget

play50:39

write down I just did this thing tonight

play50:42

I just wore a completely different kind

play50:44

of outfit and something about that

play50:46

outfit really got them going yeah I'm

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not even saying it was a really sexy

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outfit it might be a an outfit you

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wouldn't even even imagined was sexy to

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them yeah but something about that

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outfit did it for them yeah he's like

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okay noted yeah

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oh I just went away with my friends for

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a weekend

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and when I came back there was this

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intensity okay that's interesting

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um

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all of those little moments are they're

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like a formula

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that can help you sustain that desire

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within a relationship and I think when

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you stop paying attention to those

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things it's another way of not paying

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attention to the health of your

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relationship the health of your

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relationship isn't two-dimensional it's

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not just

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how many things have I done for my

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partner today

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but I don't understand why they're so

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ungrateful I I made them this I did this

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I called them at the end of that and

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asked them how it went I did that I did

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it okay there's all of that is beautiful

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but

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but value in a relationship isn't

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two-dimensional

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sometimes value to someone is hey you

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haven't seen your friends in a minute

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you should go see your friends

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like go hang out with that you haven't

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seen those two friends in a while you

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should go hang out with them are you

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sure what really I feel like you'd be a

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oh I'll be good I'll chill I'm gonna do

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some stuff I really want to do but you

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should go do that that's another form of

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value if if you crave security that

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might be unnatural to you because you

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might be like I don't want them to go

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out with their friends and leave me for

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a night yeah that might be the very

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thing that makes them go whoa I've never

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had anyone do that before I've never had

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anyone encourage me to go and have time

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with people I care about they're always

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sort of jealously guarding my presence

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and my time so there's another form of

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value

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that to me is like real Mastery in in

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relationships is going beyond what is

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comfortable to give beyond what is feels

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normal for you to give and really

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listening to

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what what makes them

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feel a certain way whether it's love or

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desire what Stokes that in that person I

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mean pay attention so that I can

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replicate that in the future so I hope

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you enjoyed that conversation with

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Matthew Hussey I think main thing to say

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is hey I love the conversation I hope

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you did as well and secondly we're not

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born knowing how to create love and

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create long-lasting relationships it is

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definitely your skill and it's a skill

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that we can absolutely develop over time

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and given the importance of

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relationships in our lives it's probably

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a thing we don't want to leave to

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complete chance into pure accident and I

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hope this interview with Matthew helped

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you think about dating or relationships

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or attraction in maybe a slightly

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different way than you did before and I

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hope you gained something from it and if

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you're interested in checking out

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Matthew's stuff that will be linked in

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the video description or in the show

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notes wherever you happen to be watching

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this so thank you so much for watching

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I'll see you hopefully in the next

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episode bye

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