Lord Shinra said:
This isn't even a theory. Its the truth. It has to become you.
I have noticed this challenge in myself--you really do have to "have your act together" before women will find you attractive (because even if you already ARE attractive, and have some great qualities--if you don't believe in them, you won't be using those qualites anyway, they will just be latent).
I think a big problem is guys get so frustrated by not getting laid/a gf that they can't take the self-improvement all the way--too impatient. They want the end goal (the girls) NOW, and keep thinking BUT I DON'T HAVE THAT YET, which frustrates them, which stops the path of self improvement.
The ego is too strong. You see all these threads about nailing chicks, etc... and you can think "damn why am I working on all this "self improvement" stuff when OTHER GUYS are out there getting laid?!? THAT'S what I should be doing. THEN I can do all this feel-good stuff about learning to be a man. But first I need to get a girl! THAT'S what a man is!
And of course, the foundation never gets built at all. Just a continuous cycle of frustration, desperation, and depression because you don't have what your ego tells you will solve all your problems--the girl. I'm snapping out of this mindset NOW.
I think you have to give yourself permission to NOT chase girls for awhile. Everything in your life that sucks, all the things that bother you about yourself, the things you wish you would do but don't---the things that don't turn women on, you carry that with you wherever you go.
You have to take care of that stuff first.