The Interview:
Tell us a little bit about yourself: I am Kenyan born and Caribbean raised. I have always been the odd one in the group, always asking questions and challenging the status quo. I am an ACCA qualified accountant who champions creativity for all. I am a transformation speaker focus on dismantling the line between licensed professionals and the creative world. Then reconstructing the line into a circle and taking all participants around that circle so that they can live their truest life. I run a virtual consultancy helping service based entrepreneurs and business break through the common barrier points towards growth.
Tell us a little bit about your book-Blow the Lid Off: Reclaim Your Stolen Creativity, Increase Your Income, and Let Your Light Shine!: This book is about demystifying that creativity is a special gift bestowed on only a few but that everyone has creative abilities based on science but that this ability is ‘stolen’ from us as we grow older. It’s to help us get back in touch with that creativity and child like imagination we all had. It’s a clarion call for those who display creativity abilities but through self proclamation deny it-probably because of self limiting believes or what they studied (or didn’t study) in school. Blow the lid off seeks to help the reader identify and utilise their unique abilities to better both their personal and professional lives by living their purpose and live’s truth! It’s also a reflection of my own journey of how my own creativity was suppressed and stolen and I allowed it to happen simply so I could fit in instead of standing out.
Writing can be an emotionally draining and stressful pursuit. Any tips for aspiring writers? Get physical. Taking a break to move your body by walking, jogging, running or other physical activity aids in reducing the stressful and emotional impact of writing. It also helps to produce serotonin-which is the feel good hormone, further signalling to your brain that you can handle this journey. It helps you get clarity along the journey and not be overshadowed by the emotional impact or frustrations. Keep your focus on your audience and it will guide you to your message. Often we want to perfect the message instead of aligning it to your audience. Thus have a select few of your audience to bounce ideas off to guide your messaging.
How do you deal with emotional impact of a book on yourself as you are write? Don’t really have a strategy around this and I just deal with it as it comes.
What is the significance of the title? When something (like our creativity) has been suppressed and buried so deeply inside it’s going to take an explosive force to unleash it. Thus, the book seeks to help the reader fuel and build up this pressure through confidence and motivation. Also, the expression blow the lid off is usually used when there has been a conspiracy that is being uncovered. Well, the conspiracy here is that we have been conditioned to believe that creativity is something that you either have or you don’t and that the only determination or measurement is our artistic/musical skills. I figured it’s time to ‘blow the lid off’ and expose the truth that creativity is inside of all of us and It’s the super human skill that automation and AI cannot replicate.
What do you like to do when you are not writing?: Exercising and getting out in nature exploring. I also enjoy mentoring younger people (at times even older ones) and helping them to unlock their inner greatness and overcome their fears. My interaction with others is where I get my inspiration to write-it’s where I get to put a more personal touch on my messaging.
What did you want to be when you grew up? I always dreamt of doing scientific experiments and some sort of engineering career. I was always intrigued with how things work and how I can make them work better. I recall while my siblings would be out playing I would sit and perform experiments from the encyclopaedia.
Share something your readers wouldn’t know about you. Despite being a writer I have dyslexia but I don’t let me hinder me from communicating my message. Although I am a public speaker and vocal on issues close to me, I actually love and value my quite personal time. I would easily take those jobs of living on an island alone for 6 months to monitor marine life and be totally ok. But I love interacting and meeting new people all the time.
If you had to describe yourself in three words, what would they be? I actually do describe myself by three words :). Creative, Wellness and excellence.
Where do you get your inspiration? My life journey and the impact it has had on others. When people tell me how I help transform their lives and their children’s lives moves me to keeping getting up and giving out my message. My late grandmother is perhaps the most influential person I have met as she made tremendous impact on the lives of many both on a national and international level. She always sees something unique in me and knew how to handle it.
How do you handle literary criticism? I am very clear on whom I am called to serve, and it’s not everyone. Thus when there is criticism from someone outside this group I don’t pay too much attention. When professionals critize my work or writing style I use it as a means to better my craft because one of my core values is the pursuit of excellence-not perfection. I try not to take the criticism personally and respect that people are entitled to their own opinions when it is baseless.
Are you working on anything at the present you would like to share with your readers about? Creating a global on-line community where we can build each other in taking bold creative steps in our lives and careers.
Where can readers find out more about you and your books? https://robertabelle.com
Are you on social media and can your readers interact with you? Twitter: @RobertAgufana, Instagram: @Robert_Agufana, FaceBook: @CreativityExtractor and LinkedIn: Robert Belle, ACCA
In closing, what would you like to say about Books R&B to the readers? A platform where the love of books is evident. The blog posts take you to a new dimension when it comes to learning about a book.
Books R&B wishes Robert Belle all the best with his book and all his future endeavors. You can find Book R&B's review of the book here.
