If you are having a hard time approaching chicks your problem is that you are getting ahead of yourself. A chick is nothing to you unless she agrees to meet you on a date. Don't put too much pressure on yourself. Just take everything is phases... read her BL and go from there.
All I do is cold approach. I don't plan it, I just live my life and notice chicks. To be successful you should never leave the house unless you look your best. Always show up the best way you can, even if you are going to the hardware store because you never freaking know, if you are covered in paint and just need a brush, clean off the paint, put on some nice casual clothes, run a brush through your hair, spray on some cologne. Always be prepared, but don't expect anything.
Just walk up to a chick, tell her why you are approaching her and ask her name. Go from there... If she give you a resting b!tch face, she ain't interested just make a joke and walk away. You've wasted 3 minutes. If she talks to you and gives you her name, then talk to her a bit... if she stays engaged... ask for her number. If she won't give it to you... then you've wasted 5-10 minutes...
If you get her number that still doesn't mean anything unless you can get her on the phone, and she agree to go out on a date with you.
If you are worried about cold approach you are not living in the present, and you are too worried about results. I can tell you that only 2 of 10 chicks I cold approach end up going out with me. One of those 2 chicks the 1st date is the only date. Of the last one, it's a 50-50 shot I end up in bed with her. It's a numbers game. If you tried cold approach and got shot down 5 times, you might think it sucks... all I'm saying is that even if you are really good at this, that's not unusual.