[zuluking]

Originally Posted by MarchHare

As someone who was formerly in your position (perpetually assigned to the friend zone by every girl I liked), I know exactly where you're coming from and exactly what you need to do to break the cycle.

Most of this has been mentioned already, but to reiterate:

Girls like confidence, but learn the difference between being confident and being cocky. It works amazingly well if you balance bragging/showing off with self-depricating humour. It shows girls that you're confident enough to make fun of yourself.

Having enough confidence to approach a complete stranger to strike up a conversation is 95% of the battle. As a Canadian in Australia, you've got a natural advantage here. Just tell girls your situation and ask about places they think you should visit while you're there. Instant ice-breaker! Plus they'll think you're foreign and exotic and will likely have many questions about Canada.

You've probably been fooled by watching Hollywood romantic comedies and trying to emulate the behaviour of the male leads in those films. Girls might think that they want a sensitive man like Hugh Grant, but in reality that type of person will always end up in the friend zone. "You're such a great listener. Why can't I find a guy like you?" Don't be that guy!

If you haven't seen it already, watch the movie Swingers and look at Jon Favreau's transformation from the sensitive caring guy who never gets the girl into someone with more confidence who uses self-depricating humour to hook up with Heather Graham. "When you go over to talk to her, I don't want you to be the guy in the PG-13 movie everyone's really hoping makes it happen. I want you to be like the guy in the rated R movie, you know, the guy you're not sure whether or not you like yet. You're not sure where he's coming from. Okay?"

BE YOURSELF! Don't fake that you're interested in things that you're not just to impress a girl. It won't work long-term.

Success breeds success. Once you have a bit of luck, you'll very quickly get on a "hot streak". This is partly because you'll get more confidence, but also because women will be more likely to give you a shot when they realize that there must be something about you that another girl frinds attractive.

Thanked purely on the merits of quoting "Swingers". Love that movie. It's money, baby!