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The Easy Path Live Stream #22
The female brain is biologically shaped by hormones which influence emotion, bonding, and perception from birth through old age.
And we are live! Hello and welcome to the Easy Path Project live stream. My name is Michael, I’ll be your host tonight.
This is something I kind of started touching on last night when I was talking about the evaluations that I did with the guys that I took out in the field – the guys who were learning how to date and how to interact with women.
One of the things that I mentioned over and over is that a lot of times guys don’t seem to understand that women are actually humans, but they’re not the same as men. Men and women are hugely different. And so that’s what we’re going to talk about tonight.
You hear me talk about MGTOW all the time, and those guys just get beat up in the courts and in relationships – it’s really bad. Unfortunately, they weren’t paying attention through the changes that their wife’s body goes through, the way that she thinks. All of that stuff changes as the relationship grows, as she grows, as she matures. And if you’re not paying attention, you’re going to step on your dick, and when you do that, it’s just over.
So that’s my thing. I’m saying yes, MGTOW guys, I get it. What you guys went through is horrible. It shouldn’t be that way, and I certainly hope that your work is going to fix some of this stuff. It’s definitely spreading awareness. But at the same time, don’t give up because you made a mistake the first time.
Women really are like rocket science. It’s not a joke – you’ve really got to pay attention. The guys who pay the most attention have the best luck. The guys who don’t pay attention? You read about them on MGTOW forums.
Understanding the Female Brain Through Science
Today we’re going to be talking about how a woman’s hormones shape her thoughts, moods, and desires throughout her life.
Hormonal fluctuations throughout a woman’s life create distinct phases that require different relationship approaches. Men who understand these patterns report 40% lower relationship conflicts and deeper emotional intimacy. The payoff is that learning to read her stress signals early prevents relationship crisis and positions you as her emotional safe harbor during difficult times.
This is kind of a flip on the way that a lot of people look at things. A lot of guys think that they just have to kind of deal with a woman and put up with her. But what if you flipped the way that you think so that you’re actually her protector? You’re there for her. She is your charge.
The Strategy of Preeminence in Relationships
Back when I first started this Easy Path Project live stream, I was talking a lot about Jay Abraham. He’s really had a lot to do with me deciding to do this project because a lot of the things that he talks about are the way that I did things or try to do things.
One of those is the strategy of preeminence. The idea is that if you’re in a business and you have a client, that client should be able to think of you as his absolute most trusted advisor. It’s your job to take care of him, to make sure that he gets the exact situation that he needs out of this. That is your responsibility.
That’s how you got to be when you get a girl. You can’t half-ass it. The secret is that women really like a guy who makes them feel good. So if you make a woman feel good, she’s going to want to keep you around. She’s even going to cut you some slack when you’re making mistakes if you’re standing there being the man for her and making her feel like she wants to feel as a woman.
This part’s not rocket science. The women’s brains part is rocket science. The taking care of the women is not.
Welcome to White Knight Wednesday
In case you haven’t noticed, this is White Knight Wednesday. This is when we talk about women and thinking about them. In the past, I’ve been accused of being a white knight. So rather than run from it, I’m letting my white knight flag fly.
If you’re a dumbass, you’ll skip this stuff. If you’re smart and you want to have good relationships and you want to get what you want to get out of those relationships, this is how you’ll do it.
The Female Brain: Core Concepts
What we’re talking about is based on a book called “The Female Brain” by Dr. Louann Brizendine. If you watch women, you notice the changes that they go through throughout the month, throughout the years, throughout her life – especially with your mom or aunts or daughters. You see all these differences, but as a man, you’re clueless.
You don’t realize that she is almost exclusively driven by her hormones. It might be difficult to think straight because you’re having to deal with all the hormone stuff that’s like noise. You’re hoping to get a signal, but you got all this noise that’s causing you to be totally confused and not able to focus.
This book highlights the roles of hormonal influences and discusses sexual drive, empathy, emotion, and verbal communication research on how hormones and brain chemicals shape women’s thoughts, emotions, communication behaviors, and perceptions throughout different stages of life.
One thing that amazed me is to find out that there are six or eight stages that a woman goes through where her hormones drastically change – from being a young girl to being physically mature in the sense of reproduction, then as she gets older, becomes a mother, after she becomes a mother, and then goes into menopause later in life. The different hormones and biological factors all add up so that she’s almost a different person for each of those phases.
That’s another reason that you have to be on your toes. She’s going to be changing all the time, and you’ve just got to keep your eyes open. You’ve got to be aware.
Key Differences Between Male and Female Brains
These biological factors give rise to recognizable differences between the average female and male brains, especially in relation to social connections, emotional processing, conflict resolution, and relating.
Women’s brains are shaped by estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and oxytocin in ways that are different from men. The female brain prioritizes communication, emotional connection, and relationship maintenance.
This connects to what I discussed the other night about Dr. Deborah Tannen and her book “You Just Don’t Understand.” The idea is that men and women communicate differently. So if you communicate like a man to a woman who is communicating to you like a woman, there’s going to be confusion. The conversations aren’t going to meet or match, and it’s going to be very frustrating.
Women typically have larger areas dedicated to communication, emotion processing, and memory of emotional events. A lot of this is because they have to take care of children and they have to be very eagle-eyed constantly. They’ve got to be watching and they’ve got to see what’s going on with the child both physically and mentally, and then she’s got to be able to communicate that. Men are not like that.
Social Dynamics and Interpersonal Connections
The female brain is generally more attuned to social cues, facial expressions, and interpersonal dynamics. Think about how guys, especially as you get older, your friendships kind of fall to the side. A guy might only have a couple of friends that he kind of knows, but it’s pretty rare that he has a close-knit group.
Whereas women are generally grouping and they are constantly talking about the interpersonal dynamics of their social group and all these things. That sounds really foreign to men because it is, but to a woman, that’s what life is – other people and how she fits in with them, how she interacts with them, how she feels about them.
Life Stages and Brain Changes
Hormonal changes during puberty, menstruation, pregnancy, motherhood, and menopause dramatically alter brain function. For example, prolactin, oxytocin, and other hormones reshape the brain, creating heightened states of alertness, worry, and an intense focus on the baby’s needs, which can sometimes come at the expense of the romantic partnership.
This is why things happen. Her brain actually changes. When she becomes a mother, her brain physically changes so that she can be a better mother. A lot of dudes slack off after they get a girl. They think, “Okay, well I got the girl, now it’s easy.” No, it gets harder. But then when we’re talking about adding kids, it’s so much different. It’s learning the woman all over again.
The problem is that no matter how much she could love you more than anything on earth, except those kids – those kids are actually like part of her. They are of her. So you can’t ever get between that, and you got to take a new position.
I think about people way before this kind of information existed – how they did it. I saw family members dealing with things, and now as I’m reading these books, I’m like, “Oh, I get it. This is why this happened because my grandfather didn’t think about this aspect of my grandmother’s hormones.” Thank goodness we have this information now.
The Key Concepts in Practice
Hormonal Influence: Hormones are the primary architects of a woman’s daily reality, influencing mood, energy, libido, and perception. There are about six phases of her life, and each one has a different set of hormones, so it’s different challenges that you as a man would have to deal with.
Neuroplasticity: The female brain is not static. It physically changes in response to these hormonal life stages. She’s a different person – you are too. Think about yourself at 11 and 21 and 31 and 41 and how drastic the differences were. Well, she’s going through even crazier ones because she’s doing the physical aging thing just like you are, but her brain is also changing because of her hormones.
You can’t be lazy and have a happy relationship. You’ve got to realize that you got to put some effort into this. If you put the effort into it, it’s going to pay off, but you’ve got to take that first step and be proactive.
Communication Differences
Women tend to have more active verbal and emotional centers, using talk to process emotions and build intimacy, where men might use talk more for reporting facts and solving problems.
Think about it – if you ever tried to listen to a woman tell a story, a man can cut it down to just the basics, what you need to know, and then you get on down the road. But a woman will tell you all of these other facets, and the guy is sitting there going, “Why are you telling me all of this stuff that doesn’t have anything to do with the bottom line?”
But if you’re thinking about it from the woman’s perspective, because her brain is soaked in these chemicals and the brain itself is wired so that she’s more social and her relationships mean something different to her, all these different things matter. If she’s telling you that kind of stuff and you’re just like, “Okay, well when you get to the point, I’ll be here,” that’s a problem.
Connection is the Key
The female brain is evolutionarily and chemically biased towards creating and maintaining strong social and romantic bonds. The woman’s brain when she’s in the mate-forming relationship phase and the mating phase is actually predisposed to forming those bonds with you as her partner to raise the children.
She’s actually on your side, and if you don’t do anything to mess it up – which is kind of what happens because we’re not aware of what we need to take care of because the girl’s not going to tell us because she can’t (she doesn’t know how to speak male) – when she’s dealing with this stuff, it’s your job to kind of sit there and be her rock.
The nice thing about that is if you’re presenting yourself as that guy – the guy that’s going to be there for her, to take care of her, to do the things that she needs done – then she is actually genetically predisposed to forming a strong bond with you. If you keep on your toes and deal with each of the phases that she goes through, then it’s going to make it a lot easier for you to have a long, happy relationship.
Moving Forward
Understanding that forming and maintaining a relationship with a woman is an ongoing dynamic process means you need to stay curious, attentive, and adaptable. The pickup part is fun, the young relationship part is fun, but those kind of things that got you to that point are not enough to get you to the next part, which is a long-term relationship.
Get your head wrapped around that and realize that if you put any effort into this, you’re going to benefit. You’re going to find that it pays off significantly.
The bottom line is that every single one of us is going to be one data point better because of what we’re learning here. That’s my little gift of sunshine for the day.
This content is from the Easy Path Project live streams, which stream Monday through Friday around 7:30 PM Central. You can find cleaned-up transcripts at The Easy Path Project website.
Join the TEPP Livestream M-F around 7:30pm Central! Watch replays in the live stream playlist!
The Easy Path Project Live Stream #21
Are You Playing the Character You Truly Want to Be, or Hiding Behind a Mask?
Hi, this is Michael from the Easy Path Project. Welcome to another live stream! Tonight, we’re diving into an important topic: Are you playing the character you truly want to be, or are you hiding behind a mask?
The other night we covered part one of this two-part series. That session focused on practical strategies—what I looked for when I went out in the field as a wingman, trying to help older men with dating, relationships, and building connections. There was also a touch of hypnosis to help get your mind in the right place. Tonight, we’ll explore everything from the other night, but this time through the lens of subjective reality—a perspective I’ve been studying for years.
Understanding Subjective Reality and Social Success
Let’s consider: What subtle vibe are you broadcasting right now, and how is it shaping your reality? Do you trust reality to deliver the connections you crave? By the end of this talk, I hope you’ll see that fully engaging with life leads to richer experiences and deeper bonds.
Back in the day, I helped older gentlemen who wanted to start dating and find relationships, sometimes for the first time in their lives. With some guys, we had to start from the ground up, working through healing and self-improvement before getting to the social and dating steps. That need for a real foundational reset is what inspired the Easy Path Project. Sure, I could give you pickup lines and tips, but if you’re carrying baggage from childhood or unhealed wounds, those things can keep holding you back. Step one is to clear what’s holding you down. Only then can you move forward confidently into social and dating life.
The Subjective Reality Lens
Recently, I’ve been looking back through my checklist of things I used when evaluating situations and personal progress. My study of subjective reality, especially as taught by Steve Pavlina, has given me a new framework to analyze this checklist. Some of these ideas I was already applying without realizing it, but now I can describe and teach them much more clearly.
By the way, if you’re joining this live, thank you! I stream every weeknight at 7:30 p.m. Central, Monday through Friday. Feel free to jump in, join the chat, or catch the replays on the playlist linked below in the description.
Vibe and Presence Matter
One of the very first things I pay attention to is vibe—the overall feeling he is broadcasting. Is it fun and inviting, or closed off and disconnected? People can pick up on your energy, even if you don’t say a word. Your body language, eye contact, and demeanor all play a role.
If you’re going through life with a low vibe, people won’t be as drawn to you. I’m not saying you should fake happiness, but don’t carry negativity everywhere you go. People enjoy being around others who are having a good time. Try to address your struggles in private, and aim to present yourself as lighthearted and happy in public.
This ties directly into subjective reality. In this framework, you view life almost like a simulation – a game where you decide who you want to be and how you want to play. Most people play games for fun, and when you bring that spirit into your real-life “game,” you actually attract people, experiences, and opportunities that reflect your vibe.
Receiving and Responding to Invitations
Another thing I look for is how he receives and responds to social invitations and synchronicities – those moments when life or people offer you a chance to connect. Are you open to acting on those cues, or do you let fear hold you back?
For example, if you’re at the gym and a cute girl smiles at you, do you take the chance to say hi? If you’re not responding to invitations or are retreating into yourself, you’re closing doors that reality is opening for you. Life often gives us these little nudges – it’s up to us to notice them and respond.
Making Honest Offers and Practicing Win-Win Interactions
Pay attention to the offers you make when connecting with others. Are you honest and direct about your desires and needs, or are you hiding your true intentions? Are you aiming for win-win interactions, genuinely offering value while also seeking what you want?
If you want a certain kind of relationship, whether it’s casual or long-term, be up-front with the other person and make sure you’re offering them something valuable in return. When you try to hide your real intentions or manipulate others, things get out of balance, and you’re unlikely to get the results you want. Honesty and authenticity create the best opportunities for true connection.
Handling Partial Matches and Maintaining an Abundance Mindset
What do you do when you meet someone who’s only a partial match for what you want – maybe they’re smart and funny, but you’re not physically attracted, or vice versa? Do you settle, or do you keep looking?
Settling often comes from a scarcity mindset, the belief that what you really want doesn’t exist or that you can’t have it. But if you trust that the right connection is out there, you’ll wait and allow yourself to encounter what you truly want. This benefits both you and the other person. Don’t expect anyone else—male or female—to settle for less than what they want, either.
Sometimes you may need to be friends or acquaintances with someone who doesn’t fit your ideal, but keep moving forward with optimism. Trust that reality will deliver. Expect what you ask for and be willing to wait rather than compromise your standards.
Facing Social Fears
So many people, men and women alike, are held back by fear – fear of rejection, of not being good enough, of failing to connect. Are you letting fear dictate your behavior, or are you pushing through discomfort, challenging yourself, and growing stronger in the process?
Overcoming your fears can dramatically shift your vibe and make you more powerful in manifesting the connections you desire. Remember: in this “simulation,” you’ve set the rules. There’s no need to let irrational fears hold you back. When you orient yourself confidently toward what you want, you become able to receive it.
Open Commentary and Reflections on Subjective Reality
If you’re watching this replay, please leave a comment with your thoughts! This subjective reality lens might sound a little “out there,” but when you start thinking of life as an engineered reality or simulation, you may find it makes more sense than you expected. Whether you approach life through religion, science, or metaphysics, we’re all searching for meaning, and none of us can claim all the answers. So why not set your life up in a way that serves you best? Don’t let past baggage define you. Decide who you want to be and start acting like that person.
Feel free to share this stream if you know someone who would benefit. There are many channels out there discussing dating and relationships, but I strive to bring my out-there perspective by tying actionable advice to deeper life philosophies.
Playing Your Chosen Character
Are you consciously choosing to be the character you want to be in social situations, or are you pretending, hiding, or putting on a show? Are you aligning your actions with the kind of person you truly want to become?
If you want to attract an awesome partner, first become the kind of person who would appeal to them. It’s just like feeding eucalyptus to a koala—you need to offer what your ideal match is looking for. Be authentic. If there are parts of yourself you don’t like and they’re changeable, work on them. Hiding who you are only leads to frustration. So be genuine, and transform yourself if needed.
Trusting Reality and Acting from Abundance
Do your actions reflect a deep trust that reality or “the simulation” will bring you the aligned experiences and people you desire? Or are you acting from neediness and scarcity?
Games and simulations are designed so you can win—you just have to do your part. Results show up at the right time if you trust the process. Sometimes people or situations enter your life for a reason, often to teach you something and help you grow. Trust that better opportunities can show up if you let go of situations or people who aren’t fully right for you.
Even if your past hasn’t gone the way you hoped, or you haven’t had the relationships you wanted yet, that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. Shift from a scarcity mindset to one of forgiveness, optimism, and openness. Opportunities are everywhere if you’re willing to trust and act on them.
Engagement Versus Retreat
When my guys and I went out, we often chose low-pressure environments like markets, festivals, or stores. It’s much easier to engage with people in these settings than in high-stakes places like nightclubs. I looked for whether he was engaging or retreating, participating or hiding.
Engagement with reality is always rewarded, while shrinking away results in missed opportunities. For example, if you see someone attractive and don’t act on it, you’re signaling to the universe that you’re not ready for what you claim to want.
Embracing Playfulness in Social Interactions
Approaching people with a sense of fun and play makes all the difference. Life is hard for everyone, and most people want to be around someone who brings lightness and enjoyment. If you can keep things entertaining and interesting – not just with potential partners but with friends, coworkers, and family – you’ll make a positive impact and attract great experiences.
Learning from Feedback, Not Taking Rejection Personally
How do you respond when social interactions don’t go as planned – when you’re rejected, ignored, or things just don’t click? Do you take it personally, or do you use it as feedback to learn and improve?
Most of life’s disappointments aren’t personal. If a person doesn’t connect with you, it usually means you’re not the right match, not that you’re unworthy. Use feedback to refine your approach, not to beat yourself up. Take lessons from each experience and keep moving forward, improving each time.
Wrapping Up: Trust, Fulfillment, and Moving Forward
When you trust reality—when you “put your order in” with confidence—you can step into your relationships feeling whole rather than needy. This openness helps you stay optimistic, hopeful, and ready for the perfect opportunity when it arises. It makes life feel like the universe is working alongside you.
Thank you for joining me tonight! Remember, these live streams happen every weeknight at 7:30 p.m. Central, and you can catch all the replays on the playlist. If you found this helpful, please like, comment, subscribe, and share the link with anyone who might benefit.
Let’s keep working together to make life easier to navigate and more rewarding. I’ll see you next time. Take it easy!
Join the TEPP Livestream M-F around 7:30pm Central! Watch replays in the live stream playlist!
The Easy Path Project Live Stream #12
Is your biggest obstacle the story you tell yourself?
Hey, welcome to the Easy Path Project live stream! Tonight, we’re discussing whether This is a continuation of what we covered last night, where I gave about ten examples of how things you’re carrying from the past can still hold you back—now and into the future. If you address these issues, you’ll find yourself unburdened and able to move forward more easily and gracefully. You’ll feel better about yourself and experience a real sense of lightness.
We’re Born Pure, But Pick Up Baggage
When you’re born, you’re like a pure, clean, unblemished snowflake. But as you go through life, you pick up lessons—many of which are actually harmful or plain wrong. As a kid, you may not understand the messages you received and you interpret things incorrectly. For whatever reason, you carry those interpretations with you, until they become obstacles in your adult life.
The good news: it’s not that difficult to let those things go. The Easy Path Project isn’t about “everything is hard, you must grind, you must be disciplined and motivated, and it has to be painful.” Instead, we focus on finding what’s holding you back, letting it go, and then moving forward unburdened.
The Components of Inner Game
Low self-worth is one of the key parts of what I call your “inner game.” Along with self-esteem, confidence, authentic self, and true self-expression, these are all crucial. I’ll actually make a short video soon breaking down the nine components of inner game and explain how they work together in what I call the Exponential Growth Theory.
The idea is that if you improve any one of the nine pillars, you start pulling up the others. This makes personal growth much easier—and faster—because you’re improving from multiple directions at once.
Take self-worth as an example: low self-worth tends to create desperation, which women instinctively find unattractive. We talked last night about “the ick”—that feeling people get if you’re acting needy or unsure or not approaching things head-on. Women gave us a great shorthand with that term, because desperation is probably the biggest turn-off.
Emotional Control: You Run the Show
Conscious emotional control is about realizing your feelings are choices, not uncontrollable forces. For example, if you feel your temper rising but you don’t lash out, that’s emotional control at work. You can apply this to all sorts of problems.
One cool way to visualize this is to think of “first-person” versus “third-person” in video games. Pull back into the third-person perspective during tense moments—that is, see yourself from the outside. If you notice yourself feeling nervous or shy or introverted, that’s okay. Once you can simply see those feelings for what they are, you stop letting those feelings control you. You’re in control, not your old programming.
Turn Self-Criticism Into Self-Compassion
Most of us are our own biggest critics. If you’ve got perfectionist tendencies, you probably beat yourself up over mistakes, too. But once you start controlling your thoughts and feelings, that self-criticism can transform into self-compassion. You’ll cut yourself some slack, putting less pressure on day-to-day performance errors or awkward mistakes. If you can forgive and encourage others, why not do it for yourself? When you know you’re not going to attack yourself, it is so much easier to be confident and move forward.
Why Do I Feel I’m Not Good Enough To Get a Girl or Relationship?
That brings us to tonight’s theme. Every weeknight at around 7:30 pm Central, I run this stream as a sort of “guys’ club” for growth-minded men. It’s a support group to help us all achieve things—whether it’s confidence, career, or finding the relationship you want. For years, society has pushed the idea that you must be a “rugged individualist”—but real progress happens when people help one another. The lone wolf doesn’t make it in the long run; people thrive in community.
If you want to be part of this community, I invite you to contribute to the chat. Share your stories, victories, or even struggles, and we’ll help each other out. No one achieves greatness alone. And if you miss a live stream, check out the Easy Path Project YouTube channel—there’s a playlist with chapters so you can find the bits that are most relevant to you.
Manifestation: The Practical Version
I enjoy some of the “woo-woo” elements of personal development—like manifestation and the law of attraction. But I’m also practical. Manifestation isn’t just hoping and wishing; it’s about preparing yourself for the thing you want. Want to be a lawyer? Study, get your degree, so that when a job comes up, you’re ready. Want a great relationship? Become the kind of guy who would attract and keep a woman like that.
Honesty with yourself is crucial here. If you’re not the man you’d want your dream woman to meet, that’s where the real work lies. The path is: become the guy who would naturally have the result you desire.
Obstacles That Hold Men Back (and What To Do About Them)
Let me list out a few more common stumbling blocks and ways to overcome them:
Worrying About What Others Think. People think about themselves far more than they do about you. Most are as self-conscious as you are. Don’t assume others are judging or looking for you to fail.
Acting Desperately or Seeking Approval. Don’t try to seek a woman’s approval—this comes off as needy and will make you less attractive. True self-worth doesn’t need external validation.
Lacking Social Skills or Feeling Anxious. The digital age has made it easy to avoid real conversation. Try low-stakes “practicing”—talk to strangers, cashiers, or baristas in another town to get comfortable interacting without the fear of long-term embarrassment.
Not Having a Clear Sense of Self. Don’t compare your real life, with all its struggles, to the highlight reels you see on social media. Most people are projecting a persona, not showing reality. Focus on becoming the best version of yourself, not on meeting others’ standards.
Missing Human Connection. Feeling lonely, longing for intimacy, or just not receiving enough positive attention can be painful, but it often comes from old stories or misunderstandings. Practice letting go of past hurts and be open to new types of connection.
Lack of Clear Life Purpose. Don’t get overwhelmed by thinking you need a grand “life mission.” Set small, achievable goals—get in shape, learn a skill, meet new people—and let your vision expand as you grow. As you accomplish things, your sense of purpose will grow naturally.
Past Criticism or Lack of Love. If you grew up feeling unloved or criticized, remember: others aren’t perfect, and often, their actions were more about their own issues than about you. Practice forgiveness—for yourself and others—and let go of the need to get validation from the past.
Fear, Indecision, and Perfectionism. Approaching others (like potential partners) is hard if you make it feel monumental in your mind. Drop the idea that every interaction must be perfect. If you mess up, laugh and move on. The sooner you let go of needing perfection, the easier things get.
Feeling Left Behind. Life isn’t a race. Everyone moves at their own pace. Men, especially, have more time to figure things out than you think—don’t compare your timeline to someone else’s.
Believing There’s Always Someone Better. Comparison is the thief of joy, especially if you’re comparing yourself to people’s social-media highlight reels. Focus on your unique strengths and keep growing from where you are.
Forgive, Let Go, and Move Forward
If any of these things speak to you, start letting go of the toxic stories you’re carrying. I give you permission—right here, right now—to stop letting them burden you. You’ve put up with these anxieties long enough. It’s time to begin the next chapter: feeling better about yourself, growing, and becoming the full version of who you’re meant to be.
If you find this helpful, leave a like, comment with your thoughts or stories, and share with others who might benefit. Subscribe and hit the notification bell if you want to join these live streams (Monday–Friday, 7:30 pm Central). I hope to build a real support group where we can chat, help each other, and grow together.
Coming Up: White Night Wednesday!
Tomorrow night, I’ll share 20 reasons why a girl who’s actually into you might still not date you—it’s not always about you, and understanding these reasons can bring a lot of relief. When you stop attaching extra meaning and value to things beyond your control, everything gets easier.
Thanks for showing up and spending your evening with me. If you’re lurking, say hi sometime—I’d love to get a real conversation going with you. See you next time, take it easy!
Join the TEPP Livestream M-F around 7:30pm Central! Watch replays in the live stream playlist!
The Easy Path Project Live Stream #11
The Easy Way to Shift Your Mindset
Welcome, everyone! I’m Michael, if you’ve been following my previous live streams, you know we’ve been discussing the deeper issues that could be holding you back from success with women—and, by extension, in other areas of your life as well.
Why Pickup Lines Aren’t the Solution
A lot of guys believe learning pickup lines, routines, or tricks is the answer to their dating struggles. But if those things aren’t working for you, it’s a sign that the real obstacles are internal. You likely have underlying issues hindering your progress, and surface-level tactics won’t address them. That’s where the Easy Path Project comes in: our goal is to help you overcome these internal blockages so personal growth becomes much easier.
Exponential Growth Starts Within
There are two big takeaways to remember:
Exponential Growth: When you improve one area of your “inner game,” other areas begin to improve as well. That’s because your mindset and outlook are interconnected.
Improvement Ripples Out: As your inner game improves, so do all aspects of your life—not just dating, but also family, social circles, work, church, and any situation where you interact with people. Stronger self-communication leads directly to better interpersonal communication, resulting in broad improvement.
Recognizing the Lessons You Carry
Tonight, let’s focus on recognizing the past lessons and beliefs you might be dragging along that are sabotaging your dating life. I’ve identified about nine key aspects of inner game, but today, let’s start with a big one: low self-worth and low self-confidence.
This issue often arises from early criticism and sticks around into adulthood, affecting every relationship you have. As a child, you absorb a lot—some things are good, some are bad, some are simply incorrect or only served a purpose for a brief time but have since outlived their usefulness. If you’re still holding onto those outdated or incorrect beliefs, it’s time to let them go. They’re no longer serving you—if they ever did.
How Childhood Experiences Shape Us
Understanding how your brain works as a child can be enlightening. During those years, your brain is in a heightened learning phase. You’re like a sponge, and your experiences get “stitched” into your subconscious. Unfortunately, that means negative and limiting beliefs from your childhood may still be influencing your behavior today, even if they’re no longer relevant or helpful. It can be tough to let go, but it’s essential if you want to grow.
If you struggle with low self-worth, you might find yourself acting desperate or clingy, craving affection or attention. Ironically, desperation tends to drive people away, not draw them near. It’s important to realize that men and women are equally human, but women are often especially attuned to neediness, clinginess, or desperate behavior—and they’re repelled by it.
Start Small, Grow Resilient
Throughout this series, I’ll be showing you practical ways to take small, consistent steps toward self-acceptance and authentic resilience. You’ll develop a mindset where setbacks don’t drag you down. It’s like learning to walk—you fell many times as a kid, but you kept going until you mastered it. That’s how we approach self-improvement here: embrace the growth mindset, adapt, and realize nothing is set in stone.
Addressing the Question: “Why Do I Feel I’m Not Good Enough?”
Low self-confidence and low self-worth often spill over into doubts about authenticity and personal values. Who are you? What do you stand for? Tonight is more about exploring these ideas than solving them in one step, but as we go through different statements or beliefs, ask yourself if any resonate with you—and if they do, start digging into why.
I host live streams on weeknights around 7:30 pm Central. Each lesson builds on the last, and together, they’ll help you form a solid understanding of inner game and how to nurture it for continual growth.
Why Self-Improvement Feels Hard (But Doesn’t Have to Be)
People often believe personal growth is hard—I get it. It is difficult when you’re fighting old, ingrained beliefs from your childhood. Imagine trying to move forward but holding onto a heavy bag of “stuff” from your past. Once you drop it, progress becomes much easier.
Tonight and tomorrow, we’ll explore ways to identify these issues and start making real changes.
Common Forms of Self-Doubt Holding You Back
Let’s look at some common traps:
1. Crippling Self-Esteem or Low Self-Worth
Low opinion of yourself can lead to self-criticism and anxiety about every move you make. Often, these issues build upon each other—so low self-esteem can trigger low confidence, identity confusion, and more. Start identifying these problems, so you can find and become your real self.
2. Constant Comparison to Others
Comparing yourself to other people fuels feelings of inadequacy. Remember, everyone is unique. Focus on your own strengths and progress. Stop worrying about how someone looks in their Instagram-perfect life or on dating apps. In real-life interactions, genuine confidence and charm outweigh superficial factors.
3. Doubting Your Abilities
Fear of approaching or speaking with women (or anyone, really) often stems from lack of practice, not lack of ability. Step outside your comfort zone, even if it’s just making small talk at the gym or the store. Repetition brings comfort and growth, especially if you practice where nobody knows you.
4. Being Overly Critical or Perfectionistic
Stop replaying every minor mistake. Learn from missteps, then move on. Don’t give unnecessary weight to your errors.
5. Negative Self-Talk
Saying “I can’t do this” limits your growth. Replace it with “I can do this.” Remember, you weren’t born knowing how to walk—you fell many times before mastering it.
Making Change: Identify and Discard What’s Holding You Back
Personal growth really can be simple. The first step is identifying what outdated or unhelpful beliefs you’re holding onto. Next, consciously choose to let them go. Once you experience what it’s like to shed these burdens, you’ll have the confidence to discard others—and keep growing.
If you know someone who needs to hear these ideas, don’t hesitate to share this with them. Mutual support, like a “buddy system” in the military, can make the journey much easier and more motivating for both of you.
Why You May Have a Poor Self-Image
Self-image is shaped early. As a child, you absorb messages—good and bad—often without critical evaluation. Now that you’re an adult, it’s time to examine and challenge those lessons. Stop letting old, irrelevant ideas define you.
The Trap of External Validation
Your value as a person does not depend on having a partner. You have inherent worth, regardless of your relationship status. Waiting for someone else to validate you is the wrong path—work on yourself so your sense of value bubbles up from within.
Overgeneralizing From Past Negative Experiences
Just because you had a negative outcome once—or even a few times—doesn’t mean it will always happen. Treat each new situation as a fresh opportunity. Learn from setbacks, discard the pain, and keep moving forward.
Insecurity and the Myth of Perfection
You don’t need to be perfect to attract others. In fact, it’s often less about self-improvement and more about unlearning false lessons or shedding limiting beliefs you’ve accumulated over time.
For example, if you’re worried about your masculinity, hit the gym. If social skills scare you, set simple goals (like saying hello to five strangers in the next town over). Practice and repetition in low-risk settings will build genuine confidence.
Navigating Toward Authenticity
Authenticity attracts. If people don’t see “the real you,” it’s probably because you’re hiding behind old fears and habits. Clear away what’s holding you back, and your true self will shine through.
Mindset Shift: Attract Respect, Not Neediness
When you accept yourself and let go of neediness and insecurity, you’ll start attracting more authentic, respectful relationships. Neediness and “clinginess” are major red flags to others—especially women. By working on your self-worth, these traits naturally disappear.
Start Your Growth Journey
If any of this resonates with you, know that it really is possible to change—without grinding, forcing yourself, or relying on “motivation” alone. Identifying the things that have been holding you back, then systematically discarding them, is the easiest and most powerful path to personal progress.
Remember, growth in one aspect of your inner game creates a ripple effect throughout your entire life. As you let go of old baggage, you’ll start to see exponential improvements in confidence, relationships, and happiness.
Join the Conversation
I’m here Monday through Friday around 7:30 p.m. Central for live streams filled with insights, practical steps, and support. Come join the conversation—either live or on replay—and let’s build a community of like-minded guys supporting each other.
If you haven’t already, subscribe to the channel and turn on notifications so you don’t miss out.
Thank you for hanging out tonight! Tomorrow, we’ll continue with more ways to move from self-doubt to strength. Until then, take it easy—and start dropping the things that hold you back!
Join the TEPP Livestream M-F around 7:30pm Central! Watch replays in the live stream playlist!
The Easy Path Project Live Stream #20
Strategic Wingman Intelligence – How I evaluated my dating students
Welcome to another Easy Path Project live stream. Tonight’s discussion is a powerful one: why most wingmen fail their friends and the tactical observation system that changes everything.
In the past, I worked with a lot of older men—guys who had never dated or had any kind of social success. Starting from the ground up, I found that their struggles were actually fairly easy to handle when they were acknowledged and released, which is why I’m always encouraging you to address your challenges now. Don’t end up in your 50s or 60s still suffering from problems from childhood or young adulthood—fix those things today!
But here’s the question:what if you could see exactly what holds you back in social situations? Could a simple shift in focus transform your social life overnight?
By the end of this live stream, I’ll give you things to think about—insights I gained out in the field—to help you eliminate the leaks in your confidence before they sabotage your interactions. This creates a magnetic presence that draws people toward you. A core principle: if you make yourself charming and attractive, the sort of person others want to be around, everything gets easier.
When you follow what I’m sharing tonight, you’ll understand how to avoid those confidence blows that can set you back. Simply by trying, you’re already ahead of most people who never attempt anything new. Don’t let a setback convince you otherwise.
Two Powerful Lenses: Imagine and Explore
Tonight’s talk is based on my field notes, which I realized could be viewed through two different lenses. The “Imagine” lens is about the deeper, hypnotic dream-state themes—the thoughts rooted deeply in your mind. The “Explore” lens focuses on a more intuitive, emotional aspect—the “woo,” the touchy-feely elements that still matter.
Both ways of viewing things are important. If you use them together, you’ll start to see yourself, your friends, and others in a totally different light. Even if this sounds almost fantastical, I promise you, the “map” I’m sharing is very real.
Weekly Live Streams and the Journey So Far
I’m live every weekday night around 7:30 p.m. Central, and there’s a live stream playlist if you want to catch up. Tonight marks the end of my fourth week of streaming. Up to now, we’ve laid the groundwork. From here on, I’ll be giving you real, practical applications you can use right away.
It’s important not to wait until you’re “perfect” to act. Go out now, even as you work on yourself, because real change often happens through taking action. Steve Pavlina refers to the signals you get from life as “pings from the universe”—little nudges indicating when you’re on the right path. This kind of feedback helps you navigate, whether you call it intuition or just reading your own experience.
Observing in the Field: Real-World Social Skills
When I took these men out into social environments—whether festivals, farmers’ markets, or city streets—we’d simply walk around, interact, and look for opportunities to connect with people. Repetition is key; the more you socialize, the more comfortable you become.
Here’s what I looked for when assessing social confidence and ability:
1. Observable Signs of Anxiety or Internal Turmoil
I watched for physical signs: fidgeting, a strained voice, excessive blinking. These reflect inner tension that can warp your perception of reality. You can often tell by someone’s body language and demeanor how they’re feeling. It’s tough to attract people if you appear anxious or inwardly stressed.
If I noticed my guy feeling out of place, we’d pause and talk—it’s not a race. The goal was to make him comfortable with social interaction, not to prove anything.
2. External Focus Versus Being Stuck in Your Head
I observed whether the person was truly focused on those around him or caught up in his own worries and catastrophic thinking. If you’re always in your head, you miss what’s happening outside. Remember, the other person is focused on themselves too; for strong connections, balance your attention between yourself and others.
3. Eye Contact and Nonverbal Communication
I paid attention to eye contact—was it relaxed and comfortable, or did he avoid it? So much human communication is nonverbal; body language and the eyes play crucial roles. Many men who struggle socially haven’t learned to project confident, welcoming body language. Instead of trying to fake it, focus on cultivating genuine positive feelings about yourself.
When you feel good and look people in the eye—whether it’s women, teachers, bosses, or friends—you build rapport and become instantly more approachable. Even just smiling and making casual eye contact with everyone creates openness and charm.
4. Body Language of Confidence and Self-Respect
I examined posture and movement: shoulders back, head up, chin slightly elevated. Does he move comfortably and exude poise, or does he appear hunched and withdrawn? Holding yourself up straight communicates self-respect, inspires confidence in others, and can transform how people react to you.
Presentation matters, just like dressing well, grooming, and caring for yourself. You’re signaling to the world that you value yourself, and that positive energy reverberates.
5. Approach and Social Initiative
I looked for signs of initiative: does he approach people, or does he hesitate and remain passive? You don’t have to be great at cold approaches—just being open and cheerful gets people interested in you. Even if someone hasn’t shown interest first, there are ways to initiate conversation using common ground such as a shared interest. The important thing is to try rather than withdraw.
6. Conversation Skills and Rapport Building
I assessed his ability to engage in back-and-forth conversation: does he listen and respond, or does he dominate or struggle to speak? Many “smart boys” make the mistake of turning conversations into monologues, which kills connection. On the other hand, some men are so nervous they can barely talk.
A crucial skill is listening carefully and then asking relevant questions based on what was just said. Genuine interest is a powerful connector. If you want someone to like you, especially a woman, be authentically curious and attentive.
7. Pacing and Leading: Subtle Connection Techniques
This is a more nuanced aspect, and I learned it through the lens of hypnotic suggestion. “Pacing” means acknowledging and matching the other person’s current reality. For example, in a crowded coffee shop, saying, “It’s busy in here today,” shows you’re observing the shared environment. Once rapport is established, you can gently “lead” by making suggestions, such as inviting someone to join you at a table. This method moves the interaction naturally without force.
8. Reaction to Setbacks
I observed how a man handled setbacks or rejection. Did he become angry, retreat, or let a negative experience shape his self-image? Confidence means learning from what doesn’t work without internalizing it as failure. Don’t let a momentary “no” define your worth or predict your future success.
You can even find humor in awkward situations. In my experience, going out with friends and turning setbacks into a lighthearted competition was fun and helped everyone build resilience.
9. Avoiding Desperation and Approval-Seeking
Desperation and a need for validation are major turn-offs. This includes giving unearned attention or trying to “earn” love or attraction by doing things for someone, expecting reciprocity. That’s classic friend zone behavior and comes from a place of neediness rather than genuine self-worth.
If you learned as a child that you had to “earn” love, it’s time to let go of that belief. It’s just an old, unhelpful memory. When you drop it, you’ll stop seeking approval from women and start interacting from a place of authenticity and confidence.
10. Expressing Genuine Interest and Sharing Values
There are two parts to this: First, show genuine curiosity and interest in others. Listen attentively and ask thoughtful follow-up questions. Don’t focus on trying to impress—what truly impresses is being fully present and engaged.
Second, can you clearly articulate your own values? Are you able to stand up for what matters to you, even when it’s not convenient? This is what I call “moral courage.” Being able to say what you believe and stand by it is extremely attractive—not just physically strong, but strong in character. When you combine genuine curiosity about others with a clear sense of your own values, you’ll naturally find common ground for connection.
Putting It All Together
If you observe yourself and notice these areas as you interact with others—whether you’re practicing in real life or simply reflecting on your day—you become your own best guide. Stepping back and watching your actions helps you self-correct and grow.
If you found this helpful, please leave a like and a comment. I genuinely enjoy chatting with people, and your insights and feedback let me know I’m on the right track. If you know someone who might benefit, share this post or the channel with them.
If you’re skeptical or want to challenge something I’ve shared, feel free to push back in the comments. I’m confident in what I’m teaching, but I’m always open to hearing new perspectives and exploring nuances.
If you like these live streams, subscribe and click the notification bell so you never miss one. Your best wingman is someone who provides real-time feedback and helps keep your head in the game—but even if you don’t have that friend, you can always take on that role for yourself.
Even just thinking about these things can start to shift your experience. Be open to the possibility that things can improve—and you might find your social life changing in ways you never expected.
On our next stream, we’ll be looking at all of this through the “explore” lens—a more intuitive, emotional perspective. I think you’ll get a lot out of approaching the topic from both angles, so don’t miss it.
Thank you for joining tonight. I hope I’ve given you something to reflect on, and I look forward to seeing you at our next live stream. Remember, you can always catch up on previous streams through our playlist. Come back each weeknight at 7:30 p.m. Central, and let’s keep learning how to live our most confident lives.
Join the TEPP Livestream M-F around 7:30pm Central! Watch replays in the live stream playlist!
The Easy Path Project Live Stream #19
Why You Argue Against Success (Instead of Enjoying It)
Good evening! I’m Michael from the Easy Path Project. Tonight, I want to explore a crucial question: Why do we argue against success, especially in dating, instead of enjoying it when it comes?
Are you frustrated with your dating results right now? Sometimes, even a slight change in perspective can unlock new relationship opportunities. Have you ever noticed how listening to advice can feel like an attack? Tonight’s topic will address exactly that: Why do we push back against advice, even when it’s meant to help us?
This show is completely spontaneous and unplanned. Last night, during my 18th live stream, someone named Jack finally stopped lurking and said hello. We had a great conversation, but at one point, Jack said, “I don’t mean to push back,” then listed all the reasons he hadn’t had much luck with women or didn’t expect to. That really struck me as odd. Usually, when guys pay me to help them, they tend to be quiet—they listen, apply what I say, and start seeing real results quickly. This stuff is real and effective, as I’ll explain later.
But it amazed me that someone with dating problems would listen to someone with real success and still push back against the advice offered. Isn’t it curious that people resist help when it’s freely shared?
If you’ve listened to my other live streams, you know that often, the things holding us back are beliefs we’ve picked up along the way. Instead of letting go of limiting beliefs, some of us stubbornly hold onto them, preventing our own progress. If you put these principles to use, your life will improve—there’s simply no way it won’t.
Before we get to the core of tonight’s lesson, let me remind you that I do live streams every night at 7:30, Monday through Friday. We cover practical ways to improve your life, especially in relationships—whether it’s with a partner, friends, family, or colleagues. What we discuss here applies across the board. The magic of the Easy Path Project is that you get all those benefits with minimal effort: we focus on ease, comfort, and simplicity. We’re not about grinding or harsh discipline; this is about creating the life you want the easy way.
If you can’t join my live streams, there’s a playlist linked in the description so you can catch up and start applying these tools.
Tonight’s talk was inspired by last night’s conversation with Jack. I started wondering: Why do men push back when they’re told there are straightforward steps to improvement? All you have to do is listen, evaluate your own situation, and apply what works. It’s that simple.
Here are some reasons guys might push back:
Frustration at Past Failures
If you’ve failed before in dating, that frustration can come out as resistance or arguing. Many guys fixate on a single girl, build her up in their minds, and then feel crushed if it doesn’t work out. They project that disappointment onto future situations, believing every attempt will end the same way.
Or, sometimes, guys haven’t really tried anything at all—they read endlessly online but have never applied what they’ve learned. They become “experts” without practical experience, and that inaction leaves them full of opinions but short on results.
Frustration at a Lack of Success
Not seeing the results you want is painful, and frustration builds. I get it—there were periods in my life filled with knots and self-criticism, perfectionism, and disappointment. That mindset held me back. Sometimes, you just want moral support, not advice. At Easy Path Project, we offer both: moral support and real strategies to improve.
Pushback as a Defensive Response
Advice—even when well-intentioned—can feel like an attack. It might seem like it challenges your intelligence or undermines your efforts, leading to offense and resistance. I often refer to “smart boys,” guys who overthink, who have grown attached to their thoughts and ideas. Remember: Your ideas are just tools. If I offer dating advice, it’s not because I think you’re dumb or lazy. I’m sharing what works.
Pushing Back to Show Standards and Self-Respect
Pushback can be a way of showing you have standards or self-respect. That’s not a bad instinct—defenses protect us. But sometimes, if what you’ve been doing isn’t working, stubbornly defending it just keeps you stuck.
Insecurity, Low Self-Worth, and Seeking Approval
Many men, especially those struggling, are secretly insecure. Low self-worth often shows up as defensiveness. The world can be stingy with compliments for men, which adds to the sense of alienation. Don’t let a lack of recognition make you more defensive or closed off; instead, try to be self-contained and resilient.
Arguing as a Sign of Strength
Some guys think being aggressive, fighting, or arguing shows strength or dominance, especially if they feel they lack power in dating. It took me years to learn that sometimes, sitting still and not reacting is the answer. Pulling back lets things happen more naturally. My first “lightbulb moment” was realizing that not all outcomes need to be forced through aggression.
Holding on to Faulty Maps and Fixed Ideas
If your beliefs about dating are rigid or incorrect, holding onto them just perpetuates poor results. I recall hearing someone argue endlessly with her therapist, defending the very mindset she wanted to change. If you’re not getting good results, don’t fight to keep the habits or beliefs producing those results—be open to change.
Rationalizing Failure and Clinging to Bad Beliefs
Our minds naturally rationalize our behavior and beliefs, even when they’re not working. Some people will argue for the sake of being right, even about things that don’t serve them. Instead, stop giving yourself bad input—evaluate what’s not working, change it, and lighten your load.
Perceiving Advice as Manipulation or Control
Sometimes, people resist because they sense advice is trying to control or manipulate them, even for their benefit. Here’s a quick run-through of the principles I teach—see if any of these sound manipulative to you:
Belief in Self-Worth: See yourself as valuable, with good things to bring to relationships and the world.
Positive Self-Image: Drop negative self-talk; try to see yourself as a winner or, at least, treat yourself neutrally and kindly.
True Self-Expression: Discover who you are, what matters to you, and present yourself authentically.
Lifelong Learning: Always keep growing—don’t stop developing when you leave school or get married. Good relationships require ongoing effort and learning. Be creative in improving yourself and your connections.
Improved Coping and Resilience: When life knocks you down, get back up. My generation never got coddled for minor scrapes—we learned to deal with things and move forward.
Emotional Intelligence: Develop empathy, forgiveness, and an understanding of others and yourself. Don’t hold onto old grudges.
Flexibility: Be willing to adapt if things change or don’t go as planned.
Moral Courage: Stand up for your values, even at personal risk.
Optimism: You don’t have to pretend all is perfect—just stay open to the possibility of good things happening.
These principles aren’t about control; they’re about equipping you to live better.
Suspicion Toward Authority and Trust Issues
Some people distrust anyone offering unsolicited advice, suspecting hidden motives. I understand—I’m deeply skeptical of stuff some people say myself. But I’ve laid out exactly where I’m coming from: my advice stems from wanting to help, not to mislead.
By now, you know my motivation is to foster an “abundant life” mindset. I was inspired by Wallace Wattles’ The Science of Getting Rich, which suggests the universe wants you to live life abundantly. If you prepare yourself, opportunities begin to open. It’s not about religion or dogma—it’s about opening your mind to possibilities.
Self-Reflection: Are You Pushing Back?
Take a moment. Which of these reasons for pushback do you see in yourself? I’ve recognized many within me over the years, but by letting them go, things have improved. If you want to share, please leave a comment—I’d love to know what’s holding you back and how we can move you forward.
The Expert Mindset and Resistance to Change
If you pride yourself on being an independent thinker, you might see advice as an attempt to strip your “expert” status. But if you’re not getting results or you’re seeking advice, don’t let ego stop you from dropping habits that aren’t working.
Sexual Frustration and Relationship Obstacles
A significant source of anger and frustration for men is unmet sexual or emotional needs. It can transform into resistance in discussions about dating. But remember, people have been successfully forming relationships forever—it can happen for you, too. Don’t nurture or protect frustration that’s hurting you.
Arguing to Avoid Vulnerability or Uncomfortable Truths
Arguing helps some people avoid facing uncomfortable truths about themselves—about fear of rejection, fear of women, or vulnerability. Vulnerability isn’t weakness. Women expect men to be human, not perfect. If things don’t go your way, recognize it as universe feedback—simply information to help you improve, not a reflection of your worth.
Taking Advice as an Attack on Identity
When beliefs are tightly intertwined with identity, any challenge can feel like a personal attack. If those beliefs are helping you, keep them. If not, let them go. Don’t take constructive advice as an affront—accept what helps and release what doesn’t.
Habitual Negativity and General Resistance
Arguing for its own sake or being persistently negative is not attractive or productive. You don’t have to be right every time or share your opinion on everything. Sometimes, stepping back, listening, and applying new ideas will improve your life.
Undermining the Coach or Teacher
Some people try to poke holes in advice or undermine the credibility of those helping. But advice should be judged by results. Many men have used my ideas to find relationships or happiness. If others have benefitted, be open to the possibility that you can, too.
Protecting Yourself from Disappointment
Some avoid new advice because trying and failing again is painful. But remember: you didn’t quit learning to walk because you fell a couple of times—neither should you quit trying in other areas of life. Growth and success require continued effort and open-mindedness.
Entrenching Yourself in Unhelpful Beliefs
Sometimes, the more you defend old beliefs, the more stuck you become. Instead, pause and honestly evaluate your situation. What’s working? What’s not? Try something different—none of the principles here will harm you; they’re designed to help you grow.
Building Trust and Community
If I come across as cocky or condescending, I assure you, my goal is to help. I spend time every night sharing these ideas because I genuinely want you to experience the great life you’re capable of. All I ask is that you let go of what’s holding you back and embrace better possibilities.
Projecting Negativity and Limiting Beliefs
If you catch yourself saying new ideas are “unrealistic” or “impossible,” check whether that’s genuinely true or just a product of limiting beliefs picked up along the way. Many of our limitations are learned from our environment—sometimes from parents or authority figures who were themselves imperfect. Recognize where these beliefs come from and consider letting them go.
Moving from Scarcity to Abundance
This is the philosophy at the heart of the Easy Path Project: abundance, growth, positive change. Scarcity and limitation mindsets keep you stuck; growth opens new doors.
If you’re getting value from these streams, please like, comment, and subscribe. Share your experiences—the feedback helps me tailor these talks and, honestly, I learn from you, too.
Final Thoughts: Let Go and Grow
Let go of outdated ideas holding you back. Just for a moment, imagine I’m the universe’s messenger—a voice telling you that your limiting beliefs have run their course. The relationships and life you dream of are possible. Once you let go of the baggage and become your best self, opportunities will start to appear. That’s the power of an abundance mindset.
If you’ve had setbacks before, don’t worry; there is a silver lining. Stick around—we’re just getting started.
I do these live streams Monday through Friday at 7:30 p.m. Central. If you can’t join me live, catch up on my channel playlist. Thank you for hanging out with me tonight. I hope you learned something valuable. Until next time—take it easy! Thank you for hanging out with me tonight. I hope you learned something valuable. Until next time—take it easy!
Join the TEPP Livestream M-F around 7:30pm Central!
Watch replays in the live stream playlist!
The Easy Path Project Live Stream #10
What If Everything You Believe About Your Self-Worth Is Wrong?
Hello and welcome to the Easy Path Project live stream. Tonight we’re talking about what if everything you believe about your self-worth is wrong.
A lot of the problems that most people have in general with themselves, especially in the context of personal development, stem from thinking there’s an issue you can address. For instance, if you think you’re deficient in some aspect of confidence and you want to build your confidence, you might think you’ve got to do something to build it. But what you’ll find is that regardless of what you do, if you don’t address the underlying root issues of your problem, you’re going to have a lot of difficulty overcoming it.
It’s probably easier overall to start removing the crap that’s making you think or feel that way. That’s what we’re going to talk about tonight.
Over the last few nights I’ve been talking about basic introspection – the things you have to do to know where you stand, why you stand, what you stand for, how to evaluate them, and how to use this evaluation to develop a plan to start solving it.
Instead of telling you tonight about how great things are going to be once you start digging into the things that might be causing some of your underlying issues, we’re actually going to go down a list of possible reasons why you might feel like you’re not good enough.
It’s a really crummy place to be, but it’s also a really great place to grow from. As you start to grow, you’ll see that the way you perceived yourself in the past is really not correct. Once that realization takes hold in your mind, you’ll understand that you’ve been holding yourself back. It’s not that you haven’t been enough to deal with the situations you’re putting yourself into – it’s that you are actively working against yourself.
Understanding Self-Doubt
Self-doubt often stems from past experiences where we felt judged or inadequate. Many things we’re dealing with as younger adults or even older adults are things that happened to us when we were young, and for whatever reason, long beyond their expiration date, we’re still hanging onto them.
Some of these things might have been appropriate at the time or maybe they weren’t, but you don’t have to keep hanging onto them. They might have been good for that time or they might not have been good, or they might have been incorrect. Some of the internal dialogue you have might be conveying incorrect information or outdated information.
We’re going to discuss how to dislodge these crappy things that are stuck to you like barnacles and let you start to get a little bit more free. Let you feel good, put your shoulders back, relax – that’s where we want to be.
Social Conditioning and Value
Social conditioning can discourage us from acknowledging our own value. A lot of times, the things going around us – we react to them. There’s the possibility that they may be wrong or misguided, or that we might be wrong or misguided. There are a whole bunch of aspects to it.
Think of society trying to tell you, “Hey, this is how you got to be because these are the things we have established that you need to deal with.” Maybe not. Maybe I can be polite and play along to a point, but otherwise, no thanks. I’m going to march to my own drummer.
The Growth Mindset
One of the really fun things we’re going to get to at the tail end of this discussion is that your growth mindset allows abilities to improve rather than remain fixed. These things we talk about tonight and some of the things we uncover – it’s not going to be a situation where you’re doomed to suffer this forever. If you’ve got a growth mindset, you’re going to be able to overcome, adapt, improve, and advance.
For the last two weeks I’ve been talking about the theory behind the Easy Path Project, and tonight we’re taking the first step down the road. This is where you start thinking – seriously, that’s all this takes. You ruminate, indulge a little mental fantasy, and start to think about these things. Think about how easy it’s going to be once you’ve identified these things.
Any of these things we talk about tonight – there’s probably somebody on the internet who is either talking about how to fix it right now or has fixed it and will tell you how they fixed it. All of these things are just tests to see what you’re made of. If you’ve got the idea that you’re going to be a superior man, then these are little baby steps tests. You’ll start building up a trail of success starting from the easiest point and just go from there.
This does get to be a lot of fun once you allow yourself to quit carrying all that crap that is unpleasant at best and unnecessary. Just stop it.
20 Questions to Challenge Your Self-Worth Beliefs
Let’s go through these questions as a thought experiment. If any of these sound like situations you’re having to deal with, think about how you can start working on eradicating those issues and improving as a person.
1. Past Experiences
Have you been in situations where you felt judged or inadequate before?
Just the nature of children and how their brains work – they take these situations where a child by their very nature needs to be corrected sometimes or pushed in certain directions. If you’re not gently pushed in that direction, sometimes it could be a little harsh, and you can maybe take the wrong lesson away or it’ll stick more persistently than you had hoped.
Start thinking about what those things are that you considered to be traumas. One of the little mind things I do on a daily basis is step back and look at things in front of me so I can understand the totality. Once you’re able to step back and say, “Okay, I felt bad because this happened or I feel like I have diminished self-worth because of this other thing that happened,” you’re not feeling it inside you – you’re seeing it. Once it’s one step removed, it’s going to be easier to deal with because it’s not you. It’s something that’s on you, and once you decide to get it off you, that’s when things start to improve.
On Forgiveness
One of the things that’s going to be a common theme with the Easy Path Project is forgiveness. As a child, you’re thinking about your parents being whatever age they are, thinking they’re adults, somehow elevated above you, that they know everything. But once you get to a certain age, you think, “My parents were still just children or just slightly past being children and they had me.” I don’t believe they received a handbook on the knowledge of the universe to raise me properly.
You’ve got kids who were raised probably incorrectly, then they have kids and raise those kids sort of incorrectly, and it just goes on and on. Sometimes your parents – they’re still learning and they still make mistakes, just like every person makes mistakes. Even if they were kind of shitty to you, if you can find it in your heart to start forgiving, don’t hang onto those past hurts or anger. That stuff is all gone and it really doesn’t matter.
You might have had situations in the past where you were embarrassed – maybe you were supposed to give a speech on President’s Day and you messed up and someone laughed at you. That kind of crap stings, but you’re probably the only one that still remembers that. Once you drop that, it’s gone.
Don’t let past experiences dictate today because they don’t exist except in your memories, so they’re really not real.
2. Comparisons
Do you immediately assess others’ strengths and assume you fall short?
If you walk into a room and see somebody and say, “Well that guy is better than me,” that’s a self-esteem and self-worth issue. If all you can do is see him, what is it that makes you think that? Why do you have such low self-esteem that you just instantly consider yourself inferior?
Once you start feeling better about yourself, once you start developing your confidence and authenticity, it’ll help you stand up as a person. Once you feel good about yourself – put your shoulders back, your head up, your nose up a little bit even – just start to feel what it’s like to feel good about yourself. Then understand that you don’t compare unfavorably to other people.
3. Self-Perception
Are you overly critical of yourself without seeing your true value?
You’re misperceiving the situation if you think it was a bad day because one, two, or three things went bad out of a million. It’s the same thing if you have a problem with being an introvert – you put excessive value on being an introvert and it overshadows all the other good things about you. That’s wrong.
Once you get an even understanding of how you compare to others, you don’t necessarily have to be critical of yourself in the sense of beating yourself up. You can recognize that you have an issue and need to deal with it, but don’t let that thing overwhelm your understanding that overall, you’re a pretty cool cat who just needs to sand off the rough edges.
4. Fear of Rejection
Does the worry of not fitting in make you doubt yourself?
I don’t have a fear of rejection. I don’t worry about how I fit in or don’t fit in. I’m Michael. Sometimes I have trouble holding my ego together. What was it that Rorschach said from the Watchmen? “It’s not that I’m in here with you, it’s that you’re in there with me.”
If you start feeling good about yourself and start allowing yourself to be yourself, then that won’t be an issue anymore. Find out why you feel that you’re not going to fit in, what the root causes are, and then address those.
5. Social Conditioning
Have you been taught to downplay your achievements or worth?
Think about NFL football from 10 or 15 years ago. When you scored a touchdown, it was supposed to be a very muted celebration – maybe spike the ball, maybe point at the stands, but pretty calm. Nowadays, they have the entire team doing little performing monkey routines, which is kind of ridiculous, but it shows how things have changed.
In the past, you might have been taught that you had to hold it together when you accomplished something – got a good grade on a test, did something well at work, won a trophy in a sporting competition. But nowadays, the world is a little more open to celebration after winning or scoring. You don’t have to hold it together like a black hole – you can sort of let your freak flag fly.
People give a lot of crap to The Big Bang Theory, saying it was making fun of nerds, but what it did was expose those types of people who can just be into something because they’re into it and couldn’t care less about what anybody else said. As a result, people understand that people are on the spectrum and might have issues with being introverts or outcasts or not fitting in, but this show gave people an idea that these people exist, and that’s okay.
Don’t get bent out of shape if you’ve been taught something in the past about how to think about how you fit in. You’re an adult – you can do adult things now, as long as you hold it together a little bit and don’t go too crazy.
6. Perfectionism
Do you feel like you have to be flawless to be accepted?
Nobody is perfect. When I started these live streams, I put it off about six weeks longer than I had expected because I wanted to get all my lessons just so, all my slides just so, my video setup just so – I wanted to get it all perfect. Here I am, finding myself 10 live streams in, and none of the plans I had for the themes or content is turning out to be what I expected.
I wanted to make it perfect, and once I got moving, I found out that I was trying to perfect something that didn’t need to be perfected. I just needed to start moving.
In situations where you feel that you’ve got to be perfect, flawless, funny, good-looking, on point on everything – no. Try to put some effort into it if you think it’ll benefit you and go from there, but don’t let it slow you down or stop you. I’m just six weeks behind now, and all that work to be perfect got me nowhere.
If you want to go out into the world and live this different life you’re aiming towards, don’t wait until you get perfect and then go out. Go out and work in the world as you become perfect.
7. Impostor Syndrome
Do you feel like you don’t deserve to be in certain spaces?
Impostor syndrome is an internalized fear of being a fraud despite your competence and success. A lot of people think they have to be perfect. Even though they’ve done hard work and been promoted into a situation or done well in a class, they sit there and have these nagging doubts like, “Am I really supposed to be here?”
There’s the possibility that things could go south, but deal with it. What if it doesn’t go south? What if it goes awesome? That’s a possibility too. We just discussed that you are competent and successful, so why would you have the impression that something’s going to go bad? It’s just as likely, or actually even more likely, it’s going to go good.
8. Body Language and Self-Presentation
Does your posture or expression reinforce insecurity?
Girls are not turned on by guys with slouched shoulders and bent-over necks who look at their phone all day and are trying to minimize themselves and hide. The reason that Chad and Tyrone and the alpha male do as well as they do is because they present themselves differently. They stand up tall, stand up straight, pull their head back, look around, make eye contact.
If you have trouble doing those things, first figure out why. It’s not that big of a deal to start improving your posture. There are simple exercises – as simple as standing up against a wall and putting your hands up and your shoulders up against the wall to improve your posture. Just the way you walk, or if you wear scrungy clothes, wear something a little bit nicer.
That little tiny input will achieve fantastic results. They might be small at the beginning, but they get better and they’re cumulative. Once you go out and people start reacting to you because you’re presenting yourself differently – standing up straight, dressing well, maybe you went to the gym and got a little better body so you’re feeling kind of swaggy – that’s going to pay off a lot. It’s not hard.
That’s therapeutic too. Lifting heavy weights – if you do have residual anger from any of these things we’re talking about, work them out with the iron. Take it out in the gym. You’ll feel better, I promise.
9. Inner Dialogue
What kinds of thoughts run through your mind in those moments?
A lot of people’s self-talk, their inner dialogue, is crap. They’re always saying, “I’m not this, I’m not that, I can’t do this, I shouldn’t do this.” Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong.
I don’t understand why that has to exist. Maybe it’s self-preservation – you’re protecting yourself or something. But if you’re constantly talking down to yourself or allowing poor thinking to dissuade you from doing or trying things, it’s actually doing you a disservice. Stop it.
Find out why these things are saying it. A lot of times when I’m dealing with stuff like this, I try to change the way I say it to myself. Instead of “I was lazy,” I say, “I was lazy, but now I’m productive” or “I’m on my way to being productive” or “I will be productive” or “I should be productive in the future if I’m doing these steps.”
Just a little change in the way you speak to yourself helps. One of the things I’ve discussed about NLP is something Tony Robbins used to use a lot called a pattern interrupt. If you have a cat and it wants to jump up on the counter, you stand there with a water bottle, and each time the cat jumps up, you spray it. You interrupt its pattern. Now its new pattern is jumping up, getting sprayed with water, and jumping down.
If you’re talking down to yourself or saying bad things to yourself or entertaining poor thinking, stop. Use a pattern interrupt consciously. Once you start to pull back and see your thoughts going through your mind, it won’t be something happening to you – it’s something that’s happening, and then you decide how you’re going to deal with that.
That slight disassociation helps. I talk about thinking about life sort of as a game or simulation because it allows you to step back and say, “Okay, well…” It’s like those first-person shooter games where you can see the guy – you’re not the guy shooting, you can see the guy. That’s the perspective you want to back up to. You’ll see the world happening to this guy, and you don’t necessarily have to think about internal dialogue or things that are working on you. It’s more like there’s this guy here and there’s this stuff here, and they don’t have to…
I wish I could explain that better, but hopefully you’re smart guys and you’re digging what I’m getting at. Just change the way you think and don’t allow yourself to think poor thoughts. Just stop.
10. Unrealistic Standards
Are you holding yourself to standards no one else expects you to meet?
Sometimes we just discussed perfectionism. Nobody’s perfect. Everybody’s stumbling down this path just like you are, so don’t hold that against yourself. If you’re not graceful like a swan or you don’t look like Fred Astaire dancing, you can look kind of clumsy like that guy from Digital Underground in “The Humpty Dance” – that’s an old hip-hop song you ought to check out. It’s kind of funny.
He talks about his dance where it seems like he’s got broken legs, so it’s kind of clumsy and ridiculous looking, but he’s like, “Well, I don’t care because I’m on the dance floor and I’m having a good time.”
Just think about your life like that. I don’t have to be perfect, but I’m in this life and I’ve got this opportunity to have a good time, so hey, let’s have a good time.
11. Validation Seeking
Do you feel like you need external approval to confirm your worth?
Once again, low self-esteem and low self-worth – the idea that you need to earn somebody’s approval or affection or praise. Dr. Robert Glover in the book “No More Mr. Nice Guy” talks about this. A nice guy would be a guy who does all these things upfront before he ever has the opportunity to form a relationship with a girl, in the hopes that if he gives her enough or does enough stuff, he can earn her affection or get a relationship. No, no, no, no, no.
Do you have that nice guy syndrome? Do you feel that you’ve got to earn people’s respect or acceptance or attention? If you’re having to be a performing monkey, it’s not manly. When we talk about alphas or sigmas or Chads or Tyrones, they’re not going, “Here baby, I brought you flowers or I’ll take you to some super nice place for dinner, now give me love.” That’s not how it happens.
Don’t go down that path. If you feel that you need to do something to get something back from somebody else, figure out why that is and then move away from that idea.
12. Strengths versus Weaknesses
Are you focusing more on what you lack rather than what you bring?
This refers back to the point I made earlier. You have everything go right in your day except for one or two things, then you say it was a bad day because those one or two things went bad. It’s also the situation where you have a situation where you can’t approach a girl or can’t feel confident in a situation, and you allow that one aspect of your personality or situation to cause you to think that you’re doomed. That’s overblowing the situation.
If you actually sit down with a piece of paper and draw a line – on the left side put your strengths and on the right side put your weaknesses – if you were being honest, your strengths would be a lot longer list of items. That should give you the confidence that you’ve got this tiny little list of things that are holding you back. Now that you’re thinking about it, now that you’ve got them right here on this piece of paper, you can identify them and start to eradicate them, start to feel better.
13. Cultural Influences
How do societal or family expectations shape your confidence?
Sometimes parents or culture shapes who you are, and sometimes you have to kind of learn how to navigate within those societies or families. If you want to be a fine upstanding member of that community, sometimes you got to play the game, and you got to reconcile playing the game and being who you want to be.
You got to thread that needle, but the idea is that your personal growth and mental health comes first. Sometimes it could be a situation where you just have to pull back from the things that are holding you back. If it’s family or culture that’s holding you back, identify that and then take steps to fix it. Hopefully you can hold it all together, but if not, sometimes you need to move on or alter the conditions you’re living in.
That’s a tough one and I don’t have personal experience with that, but for example, one gentleman who came to me to learn how to get a wife had come from a religious background that severely limited interaction between males and females. They almost had to be chaperoned when they were together. He was in his 50s and had finally made up his mind to get beyond that, but he had to leave. Once he did that, the next step was to remove the conditioning.
14. Fear of Being Judged
Do you assume others are scrutinizing you when they might not be?
You have to understand that other people are more like you than not. They might have characteristics that are different, but the underlying machinery of humanity is pretty similar. If a girl you’re interested in has a couple of considerations and things you’re concerned about that you think are really reasonable to hold you back, she might have the same things.
That’s going to be a discussion we have coming up fairly soon about the considerations that women have about even getting into a relationship with a guy. There are probably 20 or 30 reasons why, regardless of who or what you are – you might be Chad or Tyrone, but if she’s not able to reconcile these other things, it doesn’t matter who you are.
One of those things that’s a problem for women is that they might also have fear of being judged or being held up to a certain standard. She might be dealing with the same internal crisis that you are, just from the feminine perspective.
Don’t be thinking that if a girl or anybody in any situation is judging you or thinking about you, because it’s just as likely that they’re thinking about their own stuff and grinding on the crap that’s holding them back because they haven’t gotten to the point yet where they’re going to fix it.
Don’t assume that everybody’s looking at you and thinking about you and judging you. Most people, if they notice you at all, have 27 things they got to think about in their head at any given time, plus their cell phone, plus they got their face stuck in Instagram. People are oblivious. You could be invisible if you want, or you can start on this little path to making yourself feel better and start to become uninvisible.
15. Previous Failures
Are you letting past mistakes define your present self-worth?
You were younger and stupider – cut yourself some slack. If you have a situation where you made a mistake or something didn’t go like you planned, you evaluate what happened, make a new plan or have a new idea of how things are going to go forward, and move forward. You don’t hold onto that crap from the past because it’s not real. It doesn’t exist except in your mind.
Think about hypnotism or even some forms of therapy where they’re actually able to attenuate the value of things in your head. You can do that for yourself. Once you decide to stop carrying that crap, then it’ll no longer burden you.
16. Social Anxiety
Could underlying anxiety be fueling these thoughts?
All of these things probably have some underlying issue. If you’re anxious or feeling insecure, you’re going to have to address it. By identifying it – “Hey, I’ve got this situation, I’m anxious because of this or I feel this way because of that” – you can start addressing the root causes.
17. Expectation versus Reality
Are you imagining worst-case scenarios that may never happen?
This comes up with me surprisingly often. Mark Twain, the writer, made the comment, “I’ve had a lot of worries in my life, most of which have never happened.” You sit there and let your mind just start running, imagining all these situations. If you’re coming from a place where you’re allowing yourself to have poor thinking, you’re naturally going to be coming at it from a negative standpoint, so you’ll find that you’re imagining the worst-case scenario.
We’ve already established that most things go well, most things happen like they’re supposed to. Some things go kind of crummy, some things could be better – okay, well, let’s work on those things. It’s not like we have to work on the 97% of things that work absolutely flawlessly like a Swiss watch every single day of our lives. It’s these little teeny tiny things that are so isolated, it’ll be very easy for us to address them. It’s not hard.
The very first step is just understanding that they exist and that you’re bringing them to mind.
18. Hidden Assumptions
Are you assuming others are inherently more capable or confident?
If you’re coming from a standpoint of negativity, then it’s natural that you would diminish who or what you are, but that’s not necessarily true. You might be a person who’s very confident – we discussed it earlier. You’re competent and you’re successful. If you’re competent and successful at these things, why would you think that someone else is more competent than you or more capable than you, more confident or more capable?
It’s not the case. Once again, it all starts at the bottom – find out why you feel that way.
Every single night this week I’ve discussed the whole math channel on YouTube. He realized that the very first thing he could move forward on and the easiest was his body. He hit the gym and built himself up to having a smoking hot body and started getting girls that would never have even noticed him in the past. He was able to have relationships with them. His mindset changed simply because he took care of some limitations, some stuff that had been holding him back.
Once you start getting rid of those things, you’ll find that whereas in the past you might have felt that others are more capable or more confident, that’s really not the case, and you just move forward from there.
19. Self-Compassion
Are you offering yourself the kindness you would give a friend?
I’ve talked about this lots lately too. People beat ourselves up – we expect ourselves to be perfect or to get everything right and do it well and optimally. You don’t hold your friends to those same standards. If your buddy made a mistake on a test, you wouldn’t call him an idiot. You’d never in a million years do that unless you were absolutely off the rails.
So why would you do it to yourself? “Yeah, okay, well I realize I didn’t study enough or I didn’t study correctly. I made this mistake, but it’s just because I wasn’t prepared. It was not a character flaw that I made the mistake – it’s just that something went wrong.”
Seriously, cut yourself some slack. You don’t have to be perfect. Nobody expects you to be perfect. Let’s just settle for improving right now – that you’re getting better and feeling better.
20. Growth Mindset
Do you see confidence as something that can be developed rather than something you’re born with?
As I mentioned in one of the very first slides, your growth mindset allows abilities to improve rather than remain fixed. As long as you hold onto the option of things getting better, then there is the option of things getting better. Just having your mind open to the possibility and orienting yourself towards growth is key.
All of this is just a situation where as you’ve gone through your life, you’ve had to deal with these things. Sometimes you either didn’t deal with them correctly or you’re still dealing with them. Some of the stuff is just outdated. Evaluate what works for you or what is important to you – what really matters.
If you’re using the growth mindset lens and you can see, “Okay, well, I had these situations to deal with in the past, but I have the ability now to move forward beyond them and kind of leave them in the past.”
I have something I’m saving for when I’m old and gray on my deathbed to remind me of something I had to deal with, and I’m going to see how I’m going to fix it. I’ve got this point out in the future where I’m going to be able to look back. I’m going to reach this place where I feel really good, and then I can look back and say, “Okay, well, this is what I had to go through to get there.”
If anything, it’s going to make you feel better. You’re going to feel awesome that you were so much stronger than you ever imagined and that you’re able to recover from what was holding you back and really strive. It’s going to be fun. It’s not really hard either. It takes some introspection, it takes going through lists like this and seeing how you can apply the ideas, but once you recognize them, it’s going to be a lot easier.
Final Thoughts
Confidence is not about being perfect – it’s about showing up as your authentic self. Your authentic self is the person who you are when you’re born, and those things that are piling up on you – the disappointments, the anger, the hurts, all that kind of stuff – it’s just trash that you got to take out. It’s like sweeping up a dusty cabin – you just got to get rid of all that trash, and then you’ll have a nice cabin.
That’s where we’re headed here. You’re an awesome person carrying around a bunch of crap that is not useful and is not helpful, and it’s got to go. So start taking out the trash.
I do have live streams Monday through Friday around 7:30 PM Central, so definitely show up, hang out, take part. Feel free to say hi, tell me what you’re thinking, tell me what you want to think about, what you want to talk about. Let’s do it. Also, watch the replays in the live stream playlist – I’ve got those there with a lot of interesting information and helpful stuff to get you started.
Thanks for hanging out tonight. Hopefully you’re finding some of this stuff to be useful and you can start to apply it over the weekend and start feeling better. It’s cumulative – you start feeling better, do a little bit more, you feel a little bit better, and suddenly you’re feeling pretty groovy. It gets momentum and just gets better from there.
I’ll show up Monday night, and I think the plan right now is to maybe do another one of these with another couple of ideas – why you might be holding yourself back or things that might need to go, and we can help you identify them.
Thank you for hanging out tonight, and we’ll see you Monday night. Take it easy.
Join the TEPP Livestream M-F around 7:30pm Central!
Watch replays in the live stream playlist!
The Easy Path Project Live Streams #18
What If Everything You Thought You Knew About Her Dating Struggles Was Only Half the Story?
Good evening! This is Michael from the Easy Path Project. Welcome to another White Knight Wednesday live stream. Tonight, we’re diving into a subject that many of you might not have considered: “What if everything you thought you knew about women’s dating struggles was only half the story?”
Somewhere along the way, I realized that women, just like men, are human beings. They have dreams, hopes, desires, needs, and face both external and internal pressures. It makes sense to try and understand them—not only to help yourself in dating, but also to support women in navigating their own challenges.
Oddly, I’ve gotten some pushback from guys who think it’s unmanly to try to understand women. But instead of backing down, I want to celebrate this perspective. Tonight, I’m leaning into it.
It’s White Knight Wednesday, and we’re going to talk about the very real dating problems women face. I’ll cover about 20 different points—things you need to be aware of if you want to form meaningful relationships.
Let’s jump in.
High Expectations & Social Media Distortions
Women today face high expectations, often fueled by social media, which can distort real-world dating experiences. Unlike earlier generations, young women now see constant streams of curated, filtered content, making it seem like everyone else’s relationships are perfect. This disconnect can make it harder to appreciate authentic connections and cause women to feel like they’re not measuring up.
Another issue is the rise of hookup culture. It’s created an environment where meaningful relationships struggle to thrive. Peer pressure, both for men and women, means people sometimes do things they’re uncomfortable with just to fit in. The result? Lots of shallow connections and fewer opportunities for real relationships to grow.
Pressures from Society and Biology
On top of these cultural shifts, women are under pressure from friends, family, and society—plus their own biological clocks. While technology offers possibilities like having children later in life, biology doesn’t always cooperate.
By their late 30s, a woman’s window for having children is often closing. From early adulthood onward, women face questions from those around them (“When are you getting married? When will you have kids?”), on top of the internal pressure from their own bodies. It’s a complex tension you rarely hear discussed openly.
The Live Stream Community
Before we go further, let me remind you that this is a live stream. If you’re out there lurking, chime in! Let’s get some conversations going so we can all learn and teach one another, together.
I love discussing women and relationships, because women genuinely enrich life if you take the time to understand and accommodate them.
I stream Monday through Friday at 7:30 p.m. Central and also have a playlist of past live streams, which I encourage you to check out if you want to catch up or rewatch for more insights.
Dating Problems Women Face
Let’s break down some specific dating struggles women encounter.
Unrealistic Expectations
Women are frequently pressured by societal standards and social media portrayals of ‘perfect’ relationships. These curated, edited lives are often inaccurate or inauthentic, yet they set a standard that’s impossible to live up to. The average person ends up feeling like they’re missing out or somehow inadequate.
Dating apps amplify this problem. Even women who might not have received much attention before suddenly get flooded with messages and ‘matches.’ This influx of attention can mess with their self-esteem and create unrealistic ideas about who they can genuinely connect with. Sometimes, a brief fling with someone “out of their league” can leave a lasting impression, making it hard to find satisfaction in future relationships.
Fear of Rejection
Many people think dating is easy for women, but that’s not always true. Women face the same anxieties and fear of rejection as men do. Often, women who are considered average try to date guys ‘above their league.’ When things don’t work out, it hits their self-confidence hard, leaving them feeling unworthy. If they dated someone more at their own level, they might feel more comfortable, but social expectations push them higher—fueling doubt and discomfort.
Lack of Confidence and Self-Esteem
Low confidence can make it hard for women to approach potential partners or feel worthy of love, just as it can for men. The path forward isn’t about thinking you’re a superhero; it’s about getting back to a sense of evenness and self-acceptance.
Balancing Career and Personal Life
Today’s women are often juggling career aspirations, personal lives, travel, hobbies, friends, and dating. For many, relationships don’t crack the top priorities until later in life. But by then, building a deep connection is harder. Many men aren’t interested in their career achievements—they value different qualities in a partner.
Trust Issues
Bad experiences—whether from previous relationships or from trying to “date up”—can result in trust issues. Social influences, like advice from friends or viral videos, make matters worse. If a woman is told she must find a man who is six feet tall, makes six figures, and so on, but those relationships don’t work out, it can be tough for her to trust guys who don’t fit that mold.
Communication Barriers
Communication differences between men and women are real and significant. When a woman shares a problem, she often seeks empathy, not a solution—whereas men are often quick to fix things. Effective relationships require learning to express your feelings and needs, and to truly listen.
Pressure to Settle Down
Society expects women to balance everything—to have a career, a family, education, and fun. But these competing pressures—along with the biological reality—can be overwhelming.
Challenges Finding Genuine Connections
Dating apps are superficial and often curated, making genuine connections rare. Meeting people in real life, with all the nuanced cues and chemistry, usually leads to more meaningful interactions.
Coping with Ghosting
The phenomenon of “ghosting”—where someone suddenly cuts off all communication—is common. It’s easier to just disappear online than to face uncomfortable conversations. For both men and women, being ghosted deeply hurts and can erode trust.
Navigating Modern Dating Norms
Hookup culture has changed expectations. Intimate acts that were once reserved for committed relationships are now sometimes seen as just part of ‘a good night out.’ Young people, lacking firm boundaries or role models, can feel pressured into situations they’re not comfortable with.
Compatibility and Attracting the Right Partner
It’s not just about appearances or superficial qualities; it’s about aligning values and life goals. Presenting yourself honestly and developing those values makes it much easier to attract and maintain the right relationships.
Navigating Insecurity and Mindset
I’ve spent a lot of time helping men—especially older or less experienced guys—with dating. Many internalize rejection and turn it into evidence that they’re not worthy. If this sounds familiar, remember: mindset is everything. Start to believe in possibility, and the way you carry yourself will change. Confidence comes from treating yourself with respect and letting go of old baggage.
Vulnerability and Gender Expectations
Men and women are held to different societal standards for vulnerability. While women might be comforted in their insecurity, men are often expected to ‘man up.’ This isn’t fair, but it’s the reality. You can be vulnerable, but work on owning your insecurity and striving to improve rather than letting it control you. Find what’s holding you back, and start letting it go.
Female Dating Concerns – Image, Trust, Priorities
Body Image
Many women struggle with body image, which affects self-esteem. Something as simple as eye contact from a confident person can rattle someone who feels unattractive. These insecurities can keep women from seeking out new relationships.
Infidelity and Trust
Dealing with infidelity—or the fear of it—can create lasting trust issues, especially when dating partners considered “out of their league.” The prevalence of shallow connections via apps worsens the problem.
Long-Distance and Financial Pressures
Sometimes, it’s as simple as distance or finances that keep people apart. If someone can’t provide financial stability, it can jeopardize a woman’s desire for a family. Similarly, if a woman has high debt, some men may hesitate to make a relationship serious.
Family, Friends, and Social Interference
Women are more social creatures than men and rely heavily on their social circles for support and validation. If friends or family don’t approve of a partner, it can sabotage the relationship—even if it’s a great match.
Mental Health Issues
Mental health—anxiety, depression, or the use of psychiatric medications—impacts more than 1 in 5 women. This can make dating and relationships even more challenging. It’s important to know what you’re getting into, and sometimes, for your own wellbeing, you need to move on.
Time Constraints
Many women lack time for dating or relationships because they prioritize career, hobbies, travel, or other commitments higher than partnership. The same goes for career-driven men.
Putting It Into Practice
This blog post has covered a lot of ground tonight. Understanding women’s dating struggles makes you a more empathetic and appealing partner. You don’t need to get everything right overnight. Start with small steps—working on your self-esteem, presentation, and communication skills. Practice meeting people. Don’t take rejection personally. See each experience as an opportunity to learn and grow.
If you’ve found this helpful, leave a comment or share it with a friend. I host live streams Monday through Friday at 7:30 p.m. Central, and all past episodes are available in a playlist. My goal is to build a supportive community where we help each other become better—both for ourselves and for the people we want to have in our lives.
Thanks for reading, and remember—women deal with their own set of struggles, just like men. If you appreciate that, and approach relationships with empathy and open-mindedness, you’re already ahead of the game. Looking forward to seeing you in the next live stream!
Join the TEPP Livestream M-F around 7:30pm Central!
Watch replays in the live stream playlist!
The Easy Path Project Live Stream #09
Strong Inner Game Outcomes: Pt 3 Flexibility & True Self-Expression
Good evening, and welcome to the Easy Path Project live stream with me, Michael. Tonight, I want to talk about a topic I find really exciting: what doors open when you align with your true self? The focus is on authenticity, self-worth, self-confidence, and the assurance that comes from understanding who you are and why you are the way you are.
The Power of Core Values
Take some time to reflect on your core values—the fundamental things that truly matter to you. Once you identify these, you can gently but firmly insist that others respect them. When you give yourself a bit of structure, you’ll find that personal growth becomes much easier. You must become a pillar for yourself, strong enough to say what you mean, mean what you say, and expect respect—not necessarily understanding—from those around you.
Many people are wishy-washy, simply going along with whatever is popular or socially accepted, even if it doesn’t feel true to them inside. Humanity often collectively believes things that aren’t true, and people pretend to agree because it’s what everyone else does. If you don’t believe something, it’s important to stand up and say it.
Remember the Hans Christian Andersen story “The Emperor’s New Clothes”? The little child in the story calls out the truth when everyone else pretends otherwise. Honesty is vital. You can be honest and also tactful. Being honest does not mean being rude. Once you feel secure in who you are, standing up for yourself gets easier each time, and you build confidence from these experiences.
What Happens When You Align with Your True Self?
Tonight, we’re covering themes including flexibility, resilience, and self-expression. When you align with your true self, you boost your confidence. I want you to realize that the journey isn’t about turning from bad to good—it’s about uncovering your goodness and letting go of the bad habits or negative self-talk you’ve picked up along the way. It’s a profound but subtle shift.
Building Flexibility and a Resilient Mindset
Flexibility enables you to embrace change. For example, when I was teaching older men to improve their dating skills, I noticed some would rely on scripts rather than developing their social skills. Memorizing lines only works until the conversation takes an unexpected turn.
If you do the work to understand yourself, clean up your insecurities, and recognize your value, you’ll find that off-script moments don’t throw you off. You’ll be comfortable responding authentically and skillfully adjusting to the situation.
Mike Tyson once said, “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.” You can plan, but you need adaptability when things don’t go as expected. Authentic self-expression means you’re more confident interacting with others because you’re grounded in your values.
Developing Authenticity and Self-Expression
Once you define your core values, express them with confidence. You don’t need to broadcast them loudly; simply embodying them is enough. Building an internal framework helps you feel secure, and with each step, your confidence grows naturally.
Today, I listened to a discussion on the Healthy Gamer GG YouTube channel—the speaker helps people improve their communication and dating lives. The message was clear: none of the personal development concepts you’re hearing tonight are difficult. You’re not becoming good from bad; instead, you’re good already, and the process is about letting go of negative baggage and growing from there. Take one simple step at a time, and exponential growth follows.
Reducing Inner Conflict for Joy and Fulfillment
Many people adopt the consensus view, failing to honor their authentic selves. This lack of congruence creates inner conflict. When your external actions and internal beliefs don’t align, you feel torn, indecisive, or uncomfortable.
Reducing this inner conflict paves the way for joy. If you’re clear about your values, you no longer worry about how to respond in uncomfortable situations. You simply do what is congruent with your authentic self, which brings fulfillment.
The Easy Path Project Live Streams
This community is designed to support your journey. I hold these live streams every weeknight around 7:30 p.m. Central. Right now, much of what I’m doing is practicing and training YouTube on the channel’s purpose, but I’m excited for the time when we begin having deeper conversations as a community. You’re invited to join in, chat, and share your thoughts.
I’ve created a playlist so you can catch up on past live streams. Today’s program is part three, so you can revisit previous nights to get a better understanding of how to apply these principles to your life.
Strengthening Flexibility
Let’s break down the aspects of flexibility:
1. Adaptability to Change
Being adaptable helps you handle new circumstances with comfort and effectiveness. That infamous “approach anxiety” in dating, for example, lessens once you stop fixating on irrational mental hurdles. The false expectations fall away, and dealing with change gets easier.
2. Openness to New Ideas
You become more receptive to different perspectives and approaches. Flexibility involves not being overly strict with how things must be or shutting down new possibilities when others make mistakes.
3. Increased Creativity
Being flexible allows you to try new things, experiment, and find innovative solutions. My own live streams are a kind of 30-day challenge for me to hone my communication skills.
4. Reduced Frustration
Rigid expectations lead to disappointment. Accepting what is and adapting to new realities—like how dating norms change with technology—reduces your frustration when you realize things won’t always be as they were in the past.
5. Improved Problem Solving
Flexibility means you can apply different strategies according to the situation, making it easier to navigate challenges.
6. Stronger Relationships
Understanding and accommodating others’ needs deepens your connections. Relationships should be balanced; consider your partner’s desires and feelings, not just your own.
7. Greater Resilience
The ability to roll with unexpected events, recover from setbacks, and grow from negative experiences is invaluable, especially in the context of relationships.
8. Enhanced Learning
Open-mindedness allows you to acquire new skills, learn from feedback, and apply personal growth across all areas of your life.
9. Increased Opportunities
Self-improvement reveals opportunities previously unseen. As your confidence and self-image grow, the world responds, and doors start to open.
10. A More Peaceful Existence
Letting go of rigid expectations fosters inner harmony. Not everything will work out perfectly, and that’s okay. Take what comes, and keep moving forward.
Community Invitation
I look forward to interacting with you and building a community where we can share experiences and ideas. We all approach personal growth from different directions, and when those perspectives meet, everyone benefits. I’m eager to learn from you just as much as I hope you’ll learn from me.
True Self-Expression
Living in alignment with your values and beliefs brings increased authenticity. When you establish who you are, people will come to expect that from you, and you attract those who resonate with your energy.
This has a profound effect on relationships, especially romantic ones. Rather than settling for whoever shows up, you can become the kind of person who attracts and connects with compatible partners. Growth is about removing baggage and revealing your best qualities; that’s when you begin to attract what you truly want.
Cultivating Creativity and Self-Confidence
True self-expression also boosts creativity. You’ll feel free to share your unique perspectives and talents without concern for others’ judgments. As you grow into your new, more confident self, it becomes easier to express what you feel, want, and believe.
With honesty and tact, you’ll see that most fears about negative outcomes are unfounded. Communication becomes clear, effective, and sincere.
Reducing Tension and Finding Fulfillment
By reducing the tension between your inner and outer selves, you no longer need to pretend. If someone disagrees with you, it’s just part of life—you become resilient and emotionally intelligent enough to navigate these situations calmly.
Living authentically leads to greater joy and fulfillment. When you act in alignment with your true self, you naturally attract positive experiences and people who appreciate your authenticity.
Mastering Communication and Courage
Improved communication is a natural result of self-expression. As you grow, you’ll be able to express your needs and feelings more clearly without worrying about being misunderstood or rejected. Learning to be tactful is essential: if someone doesn’t react well, use it as a learning opportunity for future interactions.
It takes courage to be yourself, especially in a world where conformity is often rewarded. However, we live in an open-minded era where there’s room for diverse opinions and personalities. The more you own your ideas and present them confidently, the more others will respect you.
Building Self-Awareness and Pursuing Meaningful Goals
All of this begins with self-awareness. Take time to look inward, reflect on your goals, and determine what you want from life. Consider both the experiences that have hurt you and what hasn’t worked in the past, then commit to moving forward in a better direction. Once you know where you are and where you want to go, progress becomes much more straightforward.
Integrating Flexibility and Self-Expression
As you develop flexibility and authentic self-expression, every step builds on the last. The journey is cumulative. Each positive result motivates you to keep moving forward and soon you’ll be amazed at how much your life can improve.
If you’d like to join me on this journey, I encourage you to leave a comment, watch the previous live streams, or share these discussions with others who might benefit. Your participation is what will make this community thrive.
Conclusion: Clarity, Growth, and the Next Steps
Ultimately, a clearer understanding of yourself brings clarity and direction to your life. Expressing yourself confidently, flexibly, and authentically sets you on the right path for exponential personal growth.
Next time, we’ll explore moral courage, optimism, and how they can help you continue to develop your inner game. No matter where you are on your journey, remember: even tiny steps toward improvement will accumulate until you notice a real, positive change in your life.
Thank you for joining me tonight. If you enjoy these live streams, please comment, like, and subscribe to stay updated. Keep striving, and take it easy!