You've been talking for two weeks. You always go along with her, reply instantly and say yes to everything. Her replies keep getting shorter. What's the most likely reason?
Pick one answer
Lesson notes
A summary of this lesson to come back to. To make it stick, work through the steps above.
By the end you'll be able to
Explain how people-pleasing drains attraction, and give one example from your own life.
Key ideas
The people-pleasing trap
The utility guy
No self, no attraction
Why people-pleasing doesn't win points
Running her errands, replying in seconds, saying "anything's fine". It looks considerate. But when it comes from "I'm afraid she won't like me", what she actually receives is: you don't have a position of your own.
Attraction needs a person
Attraction isn't a points system. She wants to meet someone with tastes, limits, and the ability to say no. Shrink yourself down to pure agreement and the things she could like about you disappear too.
Don't become the "utility guy"
The problem isn't giving too much. It's being reduced to a function: fixing her laptop, giving rides, keeping her company, but never being the one she thinks about. A function can be replaced. A person with a self can't.
Take these with you
✓Going along out of fear makes it hard for her to see who you are.
✓Tell pleasing from giving by the motive: generosity asks for nothing back, pleasing is trying to buy approval.
✓Showing your tastes and limits gives her a reason to like you.
This week's mission
This week, when someone asks what you want to eat or do, name one specific choice and why.