FEWER DISTRACTIONS
It also means looking critically at your performance, Ruud believes. Because in addition to your story and your delivery, your performance also consists of the visual support you use. And that could be less distracting, according to Ruud: "The focus should be on the story, not on me. The image is supportive, so I don't want the image to fly in or use routes; I don't want to talk from head but heart. And then you want as few distractions as possible. I don't always use pictures either. In the beginning I do, then it can surprise, amaze, irritate and maybe even make people angry. Some people walk away angry. I actually think that's the best thing about it, that means I came in the hardest and that sticks for weeks. Over the years, I did hone my performance to update it. There are sometimes people sitting in the room who have heard me speak before, so the story shouldn't be the same. It's actually quite a tricky craft. You develop an art for it over the years. I'm not looking for best picture, but the one that has the most impact. If I go to sleep earlier, that can have even more impact than the image I have chosen."