「你們之所以選擇當老師，是因為你不知道如何當生意人賺大錢」，一位前輩有感而發地在講台上對台下的老師們說。4年多前，我參加了一場英語教學研習。那天，許多人前來學習精進英語教學能力，站在台上的前輩，突然說了這一句，當場令我感到訝異。不過，心中是抱持著與前輩不一樣的想法。上一份工作是國外業務，對商業領域不算陌生，也曾被外派至許多國家工作、參展、並以商業英文來洽談業務。之所以跨界至教學這一塊，是因為對英文的熱情，而不是像講師說的那樣。
我默默做了這些事
我認為從事英語教學這份職業，是也可以懂得商業與生意的，兩者之間是可以畫上等號。於是我一直默默做了三件事：
- 保持對教學與商業的熱忱
- 不以賺大錢為目標，思考如何將兩者合併成有價值的something
- 跟隨著自己的心與步調 持續練習
當下雖然不苟同那句話，我選擇先將情緒放一旁，因為那是一場英語教學研習課程，需要聚精會神吸收前輩經驗。重點是，課後還有很難的考試，通過測驗比什麼都還要來的重要。雖然滿腦子，還是對那番話充滿不解。
而充滿好奇心的我，一直覺得商業領域和教學是可以結合的。雖然那時還不確定如何將teaching 與business結合，但也一直持續做自己喜歡的事-英文寫作，內容大多為與家人的日常記錄、或品嚐咖啡的心得。
發現新大陸
4年後的今天，我還是很感謝那天前輩的一番話，因為我一直保持學習動力，最近還意外發現一個新大陸。我好像開始知道如何將教學與商業結合成一個有價值的新技能。雖然稱不上賺大錢，但這樣學習過程，也充實了我的下班人生。
暫先稱這個技能為"英文金融寫作"吧，這是最近一個月培養新的練習-教自己金融英文寫作。目前也已經著手寫了幾篇，感受到進步，自己也樂在其中。
將前輩的話化成培養新技能的動力
例如下方文章，是以那天發生的事，來描寫當下的心情與持續默默在做的事:
Being open-minded could bring me some new opportunities. This is a new lesson I learned from an international English oral examiner. The expert shared her opinion on English teaching training.
" You don't know how to make a fortune in business, so you choose to become a teacher, instead of an entrepreneur."
Interestingly, that was something I didn't expect would hear from an English teaching expert. " From my point of view, the ability to make money is nothing to do with a teaching job. Both of them are my interests. Combining those two into one skill could be something valuable." I thought after hearing her words.
Despite having a disagreement with the lecturer, I regard her words as a driving force, pushing me forward to turn my passion into a profession. Currently, I have been teaching myself financial English writing. Most topics are about finance, in which I use a lot of professional business terms. The more I write, the happier I am. More importantly, a new skill has developed. From my perspective, a skill means an opportunity. All thanks to the open-minded mindset and the lesson I had from the training lecturer that day.
總結
如果你也跟我一樣，曾經對前輩的想法感到疑惑，建議可以聽聽自己的聲音，列出自己的想法與想做的事，並保持開放的心，嘗試任何可能性、任何機會。或許有一天，你也會發現屬於你自己的新大陸!
