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Love and the rule of 10% | Kevin Cruiming | TEDxZwolle


[Applause]

[Applause] hi today I will share with you the rule

hi today I will share with you the rule

hi today I will share with you the rule of 10% it was 1992 and my mother and I

of 10% it was 1992 and my mother and I

of 10% it was 1992 and my mother and I were walking through her neighborhood it

were walking through her neighborhood it

were walking through her neighborhood it was midday on a sunny Sunday I was

was midday on a sunny Sunday I was

was midday on a sunny Sunday I was running around until I suddenly stopped

running around until I suddenly stopped

running around until I suddenly stopped I saw a man in dirty clothing under an

I saw a man in dirty clothing under an

I saw a man in dirty clothing under an overpass

overpass

overpass he was crouched down holding a spoon in

he was crouched down holding a spoon in

he was crouched down holding a spoon in one hand and a lighter in the other I

one hand and a lighter in the other I

one hand and a lighter in the other I took a step in his direction when he

took a step in his direction when he

took a step in his direction when he turned his head and looked looking

turned his head and looked looking

turned his head and looked looking straight and I i stood there frozen in

straight and I i stood there frozen in

straight and I i stood there frozen in time

time

time Kevin come now ain’t here my mother

Kevin come now ain’t here my mother

Kevin come now ain’t here my mother yelled which is pretty normal because

yelled which is pretty normal because

yelled which is pretty normal because she’s Dutch and I was her five-year-old

she’s Dutch and I was her five-year-old

she’s Dutch and I was her five-year-old son locking eyes with a heroin addict if

son locking eyes with a heroin addict if

son locking eyes with a heroin addict if we lived in a rough neighborhood in the

we lived in a rough neighborhood in the

we lived in a rough neighborhood in the outskirts of Amsterdam my father had

outskirts of Amsterdam my father had

outskirts of Amsterdam my father had left when I was only four years old

left when I was only four years old

left when I was only four years old drugs crime and broken families painted

drugs crime and broken families painted

drugs crime and broken families painted the picture of the streets I grew up in

the picture of the streets I grew up in

the picture of the streets I grew up in I saw no signs of a happy life love or

I saw no signs of a happy life love or

I saw no signs of a happy life love or desirable future for us life simply was

desirable future for us life simply was

desirable future for us life simply was surviving despite this all I had a

surviving despite this all I had a

surviving despite this all I had a burning desire a desire for more a

burning desire a desire for more a

burning desire a desire for more a desire

desire

desire for love a desire to create my own

for love a desire to create my own

for love a desire to create my own loving family 10% when I was 22 the

loving family 10% when I was 22 the

loving family 10% when I was 22 the distance between my desire and I was

distance between my desire and I was

distance between my desire and I was greater than ever before every

greater than ever before every

greater than ever before every relationship I started died a quick and

relationship I started died a quick and

relationship I started died a quick and often painful death my love life

often painful death my love life

often painful death my love life resembled a horror movie every time I

resembled a horror movie every time I

resembled a horror movie every time I started dating someone I would build her

started dating someone I would build her

started dating someone I would build her up to be the one this would either end a

up to be the one this would either end a

up to be the one this would either end a me losing interest or me coming on way

me losing interest or me coming on way

me losing interest or me coming on way too strong and her ending it

too strong and her ending it

too strong and her ending it nevertheless I had to do things

nevertheless I had to do things

nevertheless I had to do things differently but what I was so scared of

differently but what I was so scared of

differently but what I was so scared of the unknown

the unknown

the unknown I did nothing instead i numbed my

I did nothing instead i numbed my

I did nothing instead i numbed my feelings and fell into an emotional

feelings and fell into an emotional

feelings and fell into an emotional isolation after a year of darkness I was

isolation after a year of darkness I was

isolation after a year of darkness I was at an all-time low

at an all-time low

at an all-time low I felt sad overwhelmed and alone

I close my eyes and to my surprise I saw

I close my eyes and to my surprise I saw something clear as day I saw the words

something clear as day I saw the words

something clear as day I saw the words as long as you do what you did you’ll

as long as you do what you did you’ll

as long as you do what you did you’ll get what you got as long as you do what

get what you got as long as you do what

get what you got as long as you do what you did you’ll get what you got for the

you did you’ll get what you got for the

you did you’ll get what you got for the better part of my life I’ve been

better part of my life I’ve been

better part of my life I’ve been insecure about who I was I was too

insecure about who I was I was too

insecure about who I was I was too scared to take a stand for what I

scared to take a stand for what I

scared to take a stand for what I believe I deserve no more I deserve to

believe I deserve no more I deserve to

believe I deserve no more I deserve to have love in my life I deserve to make

have love in my life I deserve to make

have love in my life I deserve to make my dreams come true I deserve happiness

my dreams come true I deserve happiness

my dreams come true I deserve happiness I stepped into a new world a will

I stepped into a new world a will

I stepped into a new world a will without any limitations a world in which

without any limitations a world in which

without any limitations a world in which everything was possible

in a spring of 2012 I worked for jobs

in a spring of 2012 I worked for jobs this took up all of my waking hours then

this took up all of my waking hours then

this took up all of my waking hours then and there I made a decision more time

and there I made a decision more time

and there I made a decision more time for finding love in that manner I remade

for finding love in that manner I remade

for finding love in that manner I remade choices in every aspect of my life I

choices in every aspect of my life I

choices in every aspect of my life I remade choices to align my actions with

remade choices to align my actions with

remade choices to align my actions with my desires 10% I changed my life I

my desires 10% I changed my life I

my desires 10% I changed my life I started cooking and went from takeout

started cooking and went from takeout

started cooking and went from takeout menus to cookbooks I started working out

menus to cookbooks I started working out

menus to cookbooks I started working out and went from once to twice a week I

and went from once to twice a week I

and went from once to twice a week I started a dating profile and shifted my

started a dating profile and shifted my

started a dating profile and shifted my chances from lust to love it just didn’t

chances from lust to love it just didn’t

chances from lust to love it just didn’t go as fast as I wanted and I started to

go as fast as I wanted and I started to

go as fast as I wanted and I started to wonder should I just quit internet

wonder should I just quit internet

wonder should I just quit internet dating and if I stopped what do I do

dating and if I stopped what do I do

dating and if I stopped what do I do with a day that I’ve already planned do

with a day that I’ve already planned do

with a day that I’ve already planned do I just cancel it

this resulted in a marathon of inner

this resulted in a marathon of inner dialogue will I go won’t I go will I

dialogue will I go won’t I go will I

dialogue will I go won’t I go will I won’t I when I won’t I

okay I’ll go reluctantly I took the tram

okay I’ll go reluctantly I took the tram to our rendezvous

10% and there I met her for the first

10% and there I met her for the first time

time

time Ava this was the most significant

Ava this was the most significant

Ava this was the most significant encounter that I’ve ever had we said in

encounter that I’ve ever had we said in

encounter that I’ve ever had we said in a small bar and talked for hours and

a small bar and talked for hours and

a small bar and talked for hours and hours straight she asked me all these

hours straight she asked me all these

hours straight she asked me all these questions about Who I am and what

questions about Who I am and what

questions about Who I am and what inspires me in life

inspires me in life

inspires me in life she blew my mind I never met someone

she blew my mind I never met someone

she blew my mind I never met someone like her before the bar closed down and

like her before the bar closed down and

like her before the bar closed down and we weren’t even nearly done with our

we weren’t even nearly done with our

we weren’t even nearly done with our conversation and after we said our

conversation and after we said our

conversation and after we said our goodbyes just before we left she kissed

goodbyes just before we left she kissed

goodbyes just before we left she kissed me

me

me our first kiss the weeks and months

our first kiss the weeks and months

our first kiss the weeks and months after our first kiss it only got better

after our first kiss it only got better

after our first kiss it only got better and better and after six months we

and better and after six months we

and better and after six months we decided to move in together finally I

decided to move in together finally I

decided to move in together finally I had found what I’ve been searching for

had found what I’ve been searching for

had found what I’ve been searching for all these years she is the one I was

all these years she is the one I was

all these years she is the one I was working towards she is the one I knew

working towards she is the one I knew

working towards she is the one I knew existed without having any proof she is

existed without having any proof she is

existed without having any proof she is more than I ever dreamed of

if I also had a long ways to travel

if I also had a long ways to travel she had a desire for a loving family of

she had a desire for a loving family of

she had a desire for a loving family of her own and she stood though for what

her own and she stood though for what

her own and she stood though for what she believes she deserves she made hard

she believes she deserves she made hard

she believes she deserves she made hard decisions to align her actions with her

decisions to align her actions with her

decisions to align her actions with her desire just a few weeks ago we were

desire just a few weeks ago we were

desire just a few weeks ago we were walking in the park and she told me that

walking in the park and she told me that

walking in the park and she told me that us being together is her dream come true

us being together is her dream come true

us being together is her dream come true if there’s one thing you’ll take away

if there’s one thing you’ll take away

if there’s one thing you’ll take away from this story let it be the thing she

from this story let it be the thing she

from this story let it be the thing she said next all you need is 10% when all

said next all you need is 10% when all

said next all you need is 10% when all odds are stacked against you when

odds are stacked against you when

odds are stacked against you when there’s no sign of your desire when

there’s no sign of your desire when

there’s no sign of your desire when everybody tells you you’re either wrong

everybody tells you you’re either wrong

everybody tells you you’re either wrong or insane to believe when you manage to

or insane to believe when you manage to

or insane to believe when you manage to fully believe in your goals 10% of the

fully believe in your goals 10% of the

fully believe in your goals 10% of the time you will achieve your goals usually

time you will achieve your goals usually

time you will achieve your goals usually this is the part where we live happily

this is the part where we live happily

this is the part where we live happily ever after but before we do so I want to

ever after but before we do so I want to

ever after but before we do so I want to introduce to you someone very very

introduce to you someone very very

introduce to you someone very very special will you give a warm round of

special will you give a warm round of

special will you give a warm round of applause for the love of my life

applause for the love of my life

applause for the love of my life Ava

Ava

Ava [Applause]

give her a warm welcome

give her a warm welcome give her a warm welcome I can only

give her a warm welcome I can only

give her a warm welcome I can only imagine that being on stage like this is

imagine that being on stage like this is

imagine that being on stage like this is a bit uncomfortable and a surprise for

a bit uncomfortable and a surprise for

a bit uncomfortable and a surprise for your information about up to 15 minutes

your information about up to 15 minutes

your information about up to 15 minutes ago she didn’t know I was going to speak

ago she didn’t know I was going to speak

ago she didn’t know I was going to speak here today and 60 minutes ago she didn’t

here today and 60 minutes ago she didn’t

here today and 60 minutes ago she didn’t know she was going to attend this event

know she was going to attend this event

know she was going to attend this event it’s always quite a surprise I also

it’s always quite a surprise I also

it’s always quite a surprise I also believed more than 10% and I’m so

believed more than 10% and I’m so

believed more than 10% and I’m so grateful that I did it’s my goal in life

grateful that I did it’s my goal in life

grateful that I did it’s my goal in life to be the best man and father that I can

to be the best man and father that I can

to be the best man and father that I can be it’s my dream to support each other

be it’s my dream to support each other

be it’s my dream to support each other in achieving our purpose in life and I

in achieving our purpose in life and I

in achieving our purpose in life and I can promise you my unwavering 10 percent

by sharing with you all that I am and

by sharing with you all that I am and all that I believe I will be I can

all that I believe I will be I can

all that I believe I will be I can finally ask you the question I’ve been

finally ask you the question I’ve been

finally ask you the question I’ve been dying to ask Ava will you marry me

post yes

post yes yeah

yeah I’m not gonna live in a liquid

yeah I’m not gonna live in a liquid ocean in three homeless my whether I’m

ocean in three homeless my whether I’m

ocean in three homeless my whether I’m gonna collect less these all talk about

gonna collect less these all talk about

gonna collect less these all talk about it or those catalogs it’s very own miss

it or those catalogs it’s very own miss

it or those catalogs it’s very own miss most nights okay Vancouver I ever found

most nights okay Vancouver I ever found

most nights okay Vancouver I ever found this is a big favor – yeah I sleep like

this is a big favor – yeah I sleep like

this is a big favor – yeah I sleep like your face girls good plan

your face girls good plan

your face girls good plan thank you that yeah we see the same

thank you that yeah we see the same

thank you that yeah we see the same applies Naomi

”

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