William’s Review of SocialSelf

“I always felt I was a good guy, well-intentioned and nice. However, I felt sometimes life and people were kind of stepping over me, not a lot of girls and social success. Then I decided to transform, to become that good looking social and funny man that gets along with everyone.”

William started looking into the internet for resources. He found blogs and YouTube channels and started practicing what he learned. Eventually, he found out about SocialSelf and has been following us since. It took him some time and pain but now he is much closer to his ideal self.

“It’s still a long way but I’m on the good road. A lot of people who have met me after my “transformation” praise my social abilities and tell me it’s a strength. I feel proud of it,” William says.

“I learned that change is possible.”

How would you describe yourself in a few sentences?

I’m an individual who is trying his best to improve every single day and turn into my best form, physically, socially academically, etc. I’m always striving for self-improvement. Now I’m outgoing, social and generally easy to talk to, sometimes a little random and weird but mature and kind in general. And what I learned is that change is possible!

William talks about his social life back in his “shy days”

It was kind of like this: “What have you been up to?” –  “nothing”. The conversation would hit a wall and I didn’t know how to avoid it and people took advantage of my kindness.And girls, omg the most awkward thing ever. I didn’t know how to interact with them. I had no skill and couldn’t look them in the eyes. I felt like shaking.

One time I went with this girl and asked her something and she looked at me like “what?” I repeated myself and she didn’t quite understand me. Then I started shaking, went all red and said “Don’t mind, I’ll tell you later”, and left there all embarrassed and red. I don’t mean that now I can talk to them like a god but it’s easier now and I would always talk about boring and generic topics like school and classes… I was nervous and didn’t make a good impression.

People would ask me for favors or money and I would never say no or stand up for my ideas. I would be like “ohh well ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ” and didn’t “fight back” this way. I was constantly used and stepped over.

“I realized that I have control over way more than I thought before”

Around my high school freshman year, I was like “wtf, this sucks” and wasn’t satisfied with my life or interactions. Then I asked myself what was wrong and how much of it was in my control. I realized that I have control over way more than I thought of before, so I started striving for change. This was around 3 years ago.

What made you realize you had control?

I didn’t want to make high school boring and strived for changing. When I addressed the issue, I was like “why is this like that for me and not for him?”  Why do they act differently around me and around him?” (Other confident guys). So I was like “it’s their attitude, that’s just it dude.” The fact that some trusted girlfriends told me that physical appearance isn’t as important as attitude and confidence. I realized life was like that because I acted a certain way.

Williams first steps to change things around and how people responded

It all began with body language, kind of a “fake it ‘til you make it” and voice tone. It felt weird and fake at the beginning but eventually, it became more as second nature. Some other body language signs were openness and eye contact.

Sometimes people around me were like “are you okay?” It felt a little weird and fake both for them and for me, eventually, it became a natural reciprocal thing and conversation. It was like people aren’t ready for me “breaking the mold”. I was more outgoing, asking more questions and making more talk, that and the voice tone was a little shocking.

Important milestones in personal relationships, and methods that have helped the most to become self-confident

I guess my first girlfriend was an achievement, I never thought I could have one before. Or the fact that sometimes I would get multiple social invitations and get a full schedule and people were actually reaching out to me. That’s the time I felt things were fitting right!

Knowing that people always want to be heard and comprehended, they all have issues, fears, dreams and want to share them. So I try to share a bit about me and then ask about them, so it doesn’t feel like an interview, and I have found that when people feel heard and understood they are easier to connect with. If I learn their motives and motivations I get to know them.

As you improved your social skills, did you run into any setbacks and how did you tackle them?

From time to time, I feel there is no way around awkwardness, or sometimes my conversations hit a wall, almost never but it happens. Let’s say, I talk about certain subjects with people when I shouldn’t. For example, I talk about some meme to a girl, she doesn’t understand and it’s awkward. Little setbacks like this are interesting however I learned a lot from them.

I believe that some things that seemed good in the beginning, turned bad in the long run. For example, I became addicted to social media for some time, and I was frustrated because apparently everyone was having more fun than me, or when even though I acted my best, people weren’t responding right! I felt frustrated like I wasn’t making any progress and that being social was just a dream I couldn’t accomplish. Some depressing moments when I felt it was impossible for me more than anything in the beginning.

About inner objections against improving socially

Sometimes I have noticed that acting certain ways people are nicer to you, however, some ways aren’t moral or true for me so I try to avoid it. For example trying drugs (I have never tried them) but apparently, you are “cooler and edgier” if you do that, so I try to reject those fake ideals. I was a little socially influenced in the past and did some things just to fit in. However, I try to not fall for them anymore.

What were some things you could do to try to fit in?

Sometimes I drank alcohol (never got drunk) even though I wasn’t convinced, or talked a certain way about women around my guy friends, but I don’t feel that way, You are perceived as cool if you objectify them around men, so I kinda fell for that before.

William on program materials and what advice has helped him the most

I loved the conversation guide you sent. I remember how you sent it to the mailing list and it was absolutely awesome and detailed. I give a great part of my credit to that. I remember reading in one of your emails, that finding a common ground, a shared passion is a great start and a good way to connect.

“They told me that I was the most social guy at the table. It felt nice, people perceiving me as the most social, after considering me antisocial for all my life, it was a nice realization and made a great night”

The conversation that was made possible because of his improved social skills

I was at a party last Saturday and noticed a girl with a tattoo on her arm and some deep quotes in it. I asked her about that and she shared with me how deep and philosophical her quote was and how much it meant to her. l listened and got interested in her story and got to know her. She acted warm and nice to me the rest of the party. We were strangers in the beginning and it wasn’t even flirting. I didn’t even consider her attractive, however, it was just for the sake of socializing.

“They told me that I was the most social guy at the table”

It was some Saturday night, and I got together with some friends in a nice restaurant and went for some drinks. Picture it, getting all groomed up, looking in the mirror and liking what you saw, then went out with my friends. We ate chicken wings and drank beer, we had a great time, and after talking with my friends they got to a point where they told me that I was the most social guy at the table. It felt nice, people perceiving me as the most social, after considering me antisocial for all my life, it was a nice realization and made a great night.

Can you give an example of one piece of advice you’ve read, and then implemented, and how you did it?

One of the most helpful things was that conversation guide. I remember reading it and realizing how complex yet easy conversations were. I implemented it in the way of looking for a common ground in the convo, once you reach that, you’re pretty much going to continue naturally and easily. Always strive for shared topics and passions, and if you don’t have any, just listen to the person and their motives, story, passion and really make them feel heard and understood.

William gives advice how to keep things you’ve read in your head during a conversation

I notice that if you just keep talking and make it right, you can pretty much continue. For example, just ask “how is life?” And then listen, if the person isn’t as talkative just share about yourself. It’s a two-way street so you should make it work like that.

If you were to meet yourself one year ago, what advice would you give?

Change is possible and you have control over your life more than you realize. The only one holding you back from change is you, and that’s the very same person which can give you your happiness. I would tell that person to put all efforts and that it will be worth it.

Success Stories

We asked some of our members to share how SocialSelf has helped them become more socially savvy. Here are their stories. Some names have been changed.

Bianca

Bianca Gelli, Brazil

"[...] you know, little did I know that it isn’t about having an endless list of things to say, but about being genuinely interested in hearing from the other person and finding mutual interests. That’s so much more profound than I thought when I dreamed of a silver bullet to solve my conversation dead ends.

David’s course is DEFINITELY NOT a band-aid, it is a cure, for whatever social discomfort you have.

From this life, we don’t take away material things, only the good relationships we’ve had. Also, if you think that you can’t find friends that are like you, I guarantee you they are out there, you’ll find them with the help of this course."

Read Bianca's full story here

William

William lives in Irvine, California where he studies International Commerce

"I always felt I was a good guy, well-intentioned and nice. However, sometimes life and people were kind of stepping over me. I didn't have a lot of girls and social success.

Now I'm outgoing, social, and generally easy to talk to. What I learned is that change is possible!"

Read William's full story here

Rakesh

Rakesh, 20, is an engineering student in India

[...] one thing it has done is completely eliminated awkward moments. And because I’m not putting on a mask, it’s not at all tiring.

In fact, I look forward to more interactions. I’ve even started a brotherhood group so that I can meet new people and forge healthy relationships.

Read Rakesh's full story here

Rachel

Rachel, 25, works in IT-support in Australia

"The way you teach and your methods have helped me so much. I have been implementing your ideas, and it has changed my life in such a positive way.

I have been genuinely interesting myself in others and it makes others feel cared about, and in turn, that makes me feel good!"

Theodor

Theodor from Norway studies History at the University of Oslo

"When I started at university last year, I already knew that I would need to make friends fast, because if not, everyone would start forming groups while I stood outside. The problem was that I wasn’t included, even though I walked around with them and went to every social event during that first ‘buddy week’. I decided that I needed better social skills because the way things always seemed to end was heartbreaking. I felt that no one I met wanted to include me, and I didn’t understand why. The only way to understand it and fix it is to gain access to their groups, and the only way to do that would be to improve my social skills.

During the program, Theodor got more confident and began realizing that others don’t have a strict plan of in which direction they want the conversation to go. That is one thing that has helped him dare to speak more."

Read Theodor's full story here

Claire

Claire, 33, is from UK and currently lives and works in the Netherlands

"I realized when I found your course that it’s not only I who feel self-conscious in social situations but most people feel that way. It was the feeling that there's actually nothing wrong with me that's made the difference. That helped me to start to forget the painful things that harmed my confidence in the past.

Before Christmas, I went to the birthday party of a friend and as a result, I got invited to someone’s dinner party after chatting for some time with someone who seemed to really like me and said that I was fun!"

Read Claire's full story here

Estuardo

Estuardo Paz, 29, works as a data processor for a U.S. media company

"Before I feel all bad because I didn't make any friends. I wasn’t motivated to interact with people because I got depressed. Now I don't panic and can go on speaking until I create rapport.

Now I know that I can make a difference in people’s lives just by connecting with them and sharing what I am."

Read Estuardo's full story here

Anonymous

Richard, 29, is a mechanical engineer from Portugal

"I've read several things about improving social skills and most, by far, are very general, vague tips.

I have to congratulate you and Viktor. Some of the things you teach give what I call "aha moments" or "make me see the matrix". It's those bits of knowledge so well thought of that make you connect the dots."

Read Richard's full story here

Anne

Kaitlind lives and studies in Corona, California

"I've been homeschooled, so I didn't have very much social experience and I wasn't very good at making friends. I hardly had any friends. Almost a year ago, I started going to my church's huge youth group. As you can imagine, from my background, I got off to a bad start."

"Your concept of slowly going out of my comfort zone has really helped. I have more friends at my youth group than I thought I was capable of making."

Anonymous

Rebecca

"I find that people make an effort to talk to me now and ask me how I’m doing. I know that friendships take years to build, but this course definitely is putting me on the fast-track to do so. I now find small-talk with strangers, and bonding 1-on-1, to be effortless. There is a great improvement in group conversations as well.

This course is amazing and I 10/10 recommend it for anyone who has EVER been at a loss at what to say when conversing. This course holds all these social skills so many of us seem to just be missing. Thank you so much, David! Your product has revolutionized not only my social life but my life in general. Because life is about the connections and relationships you have, and now I know how to have some."

Read Rebecca's full story here