There is no magic formula. The hardest part is walking up to a stranger and being vulnerable.
You can say anything you want, but the advice in those articles are the training wheels.
Start with that and come back when you’ve tried it, with some details about how it went and we can give you some much better advice.
Searching for new methods and answers when you already have some to try out, is a recipe for stagnation. It’s avoidance.
Trust us guys who’ve gone through the learning process, we’ve been in your shoes. If people give you silly answers, it’s because to be taken seriously you have to take some action.
We want to help and we’re rooting for you, but you have to do the work.
If you’re having trouble taking those first steps because of severe approach anxiety or something, then let’s work on that.