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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 If you’re still holding onto those outdated or incorrect beliefs, it’s time to let them go.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!