Greetings Slyder. I can relate to your post quite a bit.
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I believe that my reading of non verbal communication gets better every day. I often think "wow it's so interesting to be able to read all these silent thoughts" but on the other hand it sometimes may act to against me in the sense that i'll "see" a loss of rapport, and therefore become discouraged and lose my confidence.
Yes being able to read their body language is extremely helpful. However it can be discouraging when you detect any IODs. What I've tried to internalise recently is the idea of being validated internally. If I'm looking for validation externally (pound on the IOIs) then I'm not in control of my stable reality. Personally I just try not to let anything percieved as negative affect me because if it does, it's a downward spiral from there. Always put a positive spin on things.
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As of lately, i'll try to keep conversation interesting...by reeling off of boring typical subjects into things more in depth. Just now at work...this girl i was talking to kept bitching about the boss...and i mean..i kept asking a few questions about him etc..but it got to a point where it was getting old. So i follow up "is he the worst boss you've ever had or have you had worse?"
If the energy dwindles, cut the thread completely to an interesting topic. I'm sure you'll find lots more commonalities other than the same boss.
Remember reading Juggler's chapter in the game? The art of making statements, talking about YOUR experiences. This will incline her to talk about similar situations and you won't need to go out and actively "elicit her values." When I talk to any girl, I try my best to talk to them as I do with any good friend of mine.
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This is obviously digging more so into her past because it is taking our commonality(our boss) and putting the attention strictly on her. I defiantly sensed a less enthused(emotional) girl. I don't understand...whenever i tend to try to get someone's honest opinion on something...ask them more generalized questions so i can zone into something specific(experiences with work)...it immediatly seems to throw up a flag of "why is he asking me this ... wait he probably likes me".
Sometimes if I ask too many questions I'll think, as you put it, that she'll think "why is he asking me this.. wait he probably likes me." So making more statements combined with body language disinterest (slight headturns, body rocks), as if I'm not worried whether she'll respond to me or not, works for me.
Also another point I'd like to make, which you're probably aware of but I'll cover it anyway, is to convey emotion when you talk. So try asking a logical question/opinion in a more animated way. Show it expressively and in your tonality. Emotions are contagious right? A conversation can get radically more enjoyable as soon as there's that fun vibe between you. It's how you say it, not what you say.
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I really feel this is the internal monologue they are having...even with my body language showing disinterest...but the question itself is obviously showing interest.
Work on your mentality and frame of mind. Think of it like you're just genuinely curious about getting to know what she's about. Release all outcome. I think many of us suffer from this need to be perfect and execute the ideal sarge in our heads without realising that we only have ourselves to blame for it.
Good luck man.