A man who has struggled with a severe stutter for almost 40 years has faced his demons and interviewed 20 entrepreneurs to write a book aimed at inspiring people to break free of their self-imposed limitations and live life to the full.

Rama Siva, who lives in Stevenage, first began stuttering when he was three years old.

He said: “Unfortunately I had a belief that by having the habit I would have the attention of my mother and I subconsciously kept hold of it.

“My speech really held me back and it’s taken me a lot of effort to get where I am.

“If you had called me a few years ago I wouldn’t have answered the phone.”

But Rama was determined to tackle his debilitating speech impediment and he enrolled on a speech improvement course which pop singer Gareth Gates had successfully used to help control his own stutter.

Rama, 41, said: “It gave me the confidence I needed to realise I can speak.

“A lot of people who stutter wouldn’t even think about becoming a speaker or a writer. I really had that desire inside me, but didn’t know how to make that happen. During the course I learned how one thought creates one reality.”

Rama decided to write a book. He set about interviewing 20 entrepreneurs, including Gary McEwen – the founder of Stevenage-based Trust A Trader – and Allon Khakshouri, who has managed the careers of tennis players including Novak Djokovic.

Using the insights of these millionaires and incorporating his own personal story, Rama has written a book called Rich Thinking – which he says provides the blueprint for living your dream life.

Rama, who has a 10-month-old son, said: “My goal is to inspire people to live a happy life. My stutter caused me to be introverted and not express my true self. Now I feel I have no limits.

“I want to share what I have learned with other people who have speech impediments. It’s actually a book for anyone who has limited belief in themselves and how they can transform their lives.”

Rich Thinking is self-published and available on Amazon for £15.99.