Cult phenomenon game builds confidence, creates opportunities (opens in new tab)

"And it has become a cult phenomenon as the idea spreads through Facebook, Twitter, the Hacker News blog and other social media."

HN is a blog? Who knew?

To take this to the next level of abstraction, the game could be developed into two parts. The first part would help you identify what your worst fears are, and the second part would have you go through the corresponding therapies.

I haven't looked closely at rejection therapy, but here is something I don't get about it.

Hasn't every man (Brad Pitt and George Clooney excluded) already done this?

I know it's SF Gate and all, but it's surprising to me that Hacker News is listed above sites like Reddit and Digg.

I think it says a lot about how our little (but obviously growing community) is seen.

Cult phenomenon?

When I was a teenager me and my friends called it "rolling in the mud"

Often a lot of us kids were very nervous going to clubs and quite scared to talk to girls. So then the more experienced kids, you know those in their late teens, would give the following advice.

Just get out there and hit on everything that moves, accept rejection just roll in the mud for a few hours, that will get rid of the shakes. And it works. Over time you stop being so nervous and have less need to start the night by rolling the mud.

Now the pick up master movement has re-branded this to something which sounds much more glamorous: "Nexting" They're not rejecting you, you're "nexting" them! This is a brilliant sales strategy if you're in the market of selling advice and therapy to shy and nervous guys.

I've experienced this in my professional career too. When I started being a full time technology evangelist I hardly applied to speak at conferences. Rejection was hard and I just assumed I wouldn't be able to get into a large conference.

It turns out the best approach is just to apply to lots of conferences and build your confidence and skills. Out of the many rejections will come some opportunities to improve and build confidence. After a while the confidence and experiences start to show in your work and then people recognize that.

Two years later I get invited to conferences. All because I overcame my hesitation to try.

This could probably get real old, real fast for the people around you. If I kept asking all my friends to fold my laundry I'd get some pretty annoyed looks. This game needs some moderation!