by Cyrus Webb
An author and Certified Speaking Professional, Robert Little, 46, is using his natural abilities to encourage and motivate children and adults alike. A native of Macon, MS he has studied at Hinds Community College, Tennessee State University and University of Nebraska before returning to Mississippi in 1995 as a Commodity Statistician. Among his other qualifications in that position, he was trained people in a classroom setting about their particular jobs in collecting data. This began what he calls his “calling” to use the information he had gleaned over the years to help others become more effective at what they do.
You started off in education. What led you in that direction?
As a teenager, I was trying to decide what I wanted to be. I worked at the local brick factory and hauled pulpwood. I quickly decided on doing something else, but didn’t know what. There was a high school teacher that I admired and regarded as a mentor. I have two sisters that are educators. All of these factors had an influence on my decision.
What changed your mind from education to pursue something different?
I started to compare salaries of various professions and decided to go in another direction. Ironically, an adviser at Tennessee State University told me about an agency of USDA that was looking for minorities who qualified to be part of a statistics program. That caused me to change my major. I began working for USDA and continued in that field for the next 15 years as a commodity statistician. With them, I started in Nashville, then moved to Lincoln, Nebraska, Little Rock, Arkansas, Washington, DC and then back to Mississippi. In that position, among other things, I trained people in a classroom-type setting to collect data. People told me I was an exceptional trainer. That encouraged me to become a better trainer and speaker. I joined Toastmasters and competed and won in speaking competitions. All of this led me to think that I could speak for a living.
Two years after coming back to Mississippi, I thought I could make it as a professional speaker. In fact, I feel as though it was my calling. This led to the publishing of my first book SPOKEN SUCCESS : Understanding the Art of Public Speaking in 2001, which is a how-to book on public speaking.
Since you have had success writing books for adults as well as children. Is there a difference for you when you are approaching the different writing projects?
I see all of my books as self-help books. Children's picture books are self-help books-- they all have a message. My basic philosophy is the same no matter what I am writing—I want the book to have "take away value." My hope, whether it’s a child or adult, is the person will think and do things differently in a positive way as a result of reading the book.
It would seem as though you are giving the same advice to adults that you have given to children.
Even when I was promoting my children's books and speaking with children, I was still doing my motivational speaking to adult audiences. It's just time to put it in print. I have grown and acquired additional wisdom that I want to share with others. In life we have to deal with challenges, but we can put a positive spin on it and ask what’s there to learn. In school, children are taught the lesson and then they are tested. In life, we are tested and then we must learn the lesson. I think too many of us aren’t learning from life’s lessons.
What would you say to someone that wanted to write?
Regardless of the desired profession, determine if that is really what you are good at and if that’s what you want to do. The question must be asked of yourself: What in life am I truly passionate about? If you’re passionate about it, you’ll become better. Don't go into any profession for the money. So many people say: "When I retire, I'm going to do what I really love." If you are not loving what you're doing then do something else. Find your niche or calling in life and you will do well.
www.robertlittlespeaker.com / 601.968.9052 / solut2000@aol.com
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