Reddit mentions of Good Strategy Bad Strategy: The Difference and Why It Matters

Leaving aside aside the issue of TRP dating advice vs. 'mainstream' dating advice, what you have written here is not advice.

> Before you go about attracting women, you need to be worth having one attracted to you. Don't be an ass, basically.

This is a great example of non-advice. You don't define any of the key terms you use- attract, worth, ass. It's so vague its meaningless.

> They aren't numbers on a hotness scale. They aren't prizes. They aren't vaginas with a guard-body attached. They are individual people.

Again, while many would agree with you here, this is still just a set of truisms. Even if you phrased it to be advice, "you'll have more success with women if you treat them like people, not objects," it is still basically worthless because of your lack of investigation into what these terms mean. What does it mean to treat someone like a person? If I don't know how to do that, what are some ways I can move forward?

> The important thing to remember about approaching women is that many of them are approached a lot, and not necessarily by nice guys. Many women will reject any kind of approach from a strange man, and there's nothing you can do about it. If you are approaching in a setting where that is not expected (walking down the street), the intrusion is probably unwelcome. You know canvassers who call out to you and try to get you to sign stuff, and you feel awkward about it and avoid their eyes and keep on walking? It's like that.

This section is no doubt a valid statement of your experience, and possibly many other women's as well. Still, no advice to be found. You just say that many women are uncomfortable with being cold approached out of nowhere. Advice would be building on that to advise a specific course of actions. For example, "help women feel more comfortable by doing x, y, or z. Or "So avoid cold approaches and try to meeting women by expanding your social circle."

> Also, to many women, it comes off as offensive. After all, you are literally approaching a random stranger. She knows that a guy approaching her in this context knows nothing about her except that he's attracted to her.
Sex is also a bigger risk to the average woman than the average man. They fear potential rape and violence. There's also the risk of pregnancy. Odds of her enjoying the experience are lower as well.

More of the same here. Just more discussion of what some women's reality may be with no actionable items.

> Why are you trying to have sex? Is it because that's what you want...or are you embarrassed by being a virgin at your age? Is your self-esteem dependent on it? Make sure you aren't trying to solve a completely different problem.

Introspection is very important to self-improvement no argument here. You fail to provide any specifics though. Simply stating the need for introspective thought in regard to people's sex lives is not advice.

> Self-assurance is sexy, and it makes for better relationships. Figure out what an idealized version of you looks like, and aim for it. Get happy.

Seriously? This is what you think of as advice? Imagine going to a therapist and asking for help, and all they give you is 'get happy'. If you ever go over to /r/depression you will find tons of posts complaining about people treating emotional dysfunctional this way. "Why aren't you just happy? Why don't you just get over it? Just find your true self and become that. Become self-confident".

> Google for details, as there's plenty of stuff out there that's better than what I can give you.

When it comes to a point where you might have to give some specifics, you just tell people to google it. I've got news for you. Everyone already knows to do that. You have just passed the advice burden off to a set of algorithms and search engine marketers.

> Be positive, confident, authentic, funny, and friendly. Don't push. Focus on creating an enjoyable interaction instead of trying to pass some kind of test. Also, flirt.

If I am not already positive, how to I adopt this attitude? Same question for every attribute. What is authenticity? What is flirting? How do I flirt effectively? I could go on. There is nothing here that has not been said a thousand times before, or that anyone could make any use of if they are struggling.

> Use dat Google to find lots of info on fashion, exercise, etc. Don't try to be something you're not; instead, find a sexy style that works for you and go for that. Try to make yourself feel sexy.

More passing off advice here. What is a sexy style? Will the kinds of women I am into be into this style or that style? How do I go about feeling sexy if I don't already?

> I like Doctor Nerdlove. Use him.

Imagine if I posted an article to /r/investing or something claiming to have advice about how to get rich. And then just told people to "think big," "companies are more than their credit rating," "many times it will be hard to get into hot private equity deals, but remember, fund managers are people too," "idk google".

Or if my bulimic cousin came to me and asked about how to improve her self-image, and I said "get happy," "be self-assured," "be positive," "start feeling sexy," "idk google it".

I am not sure if you inability to truly advise on this issue is a lack of experience, an by-product of your view on gender relations, lack of strategic insight, or something else. But whatever it is please try to understand that what you have written does not constitute advice.

I highly recommend reading some books on business strategy just to get a sense of what real strategic and tactical advice is. Good Strategy Bad Strategy and Good to Great are decent places to start.


> I like Doctor Nerdlove. Use him.

About the only advice you have given here is to go to people other than you for advice. Which is frankly good advice.

Thank you.
If i can ask, what part of the world are you in?

This is a great strategy book. Many many other great books listed elsewhere in this post.

http://www.amazon.com/Good-Strategy-Bad-Difference-Matters/dp/0307886239/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1416188526&sr=1-1&keywords=Richard+rumelt+strategy

Learn to talk, and how to see their perspective (this is a must read for everyone who is in any way a professional):

https://www.amazon.com/How-Win-Friends-Influence-People-ebook/dp/B003WEAI4E

Recently I started also reading some books from McKinsey. Super great stuff. What I love about them is they really emphasise how to structure your thoughts, separate yourself from ideas, and to do what's best for the project.

https://www.amazon.com/McKinsey-Way-Ethan-Rasiel/dp/0070534489/ref=pd_bxgy_14_img_3?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=0070534489&pd_rd_r=YBVH0X91FMM7TK9XSYG5&pd_rd_w=AJ3XR&pd_rd_wg=8J07f&psc=1&refRID=YBVH0X91FMM7TK9XSYG5

https://www.amazon.com/McKinsey-Engagement-Powerful-Efficient-Effective/dp/0071497412


Finally, some of your trouble might be that they're questioning your "strategy". They might be right!
https://www.amazon.com/Good-Strategy-Bad-Difference-Matters/dp/0307886239

EDIT: one more actually, and this is NOT a must read, but for some of us... it can be. Some of us need to learn how to get over ourselves:
https://www.amazon.com/Ego-Enemy-Ryan-Holiday/dp/1591847818

Here are a few that helped me. I'm always looking for more to keep me sharp.

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