Corona came, Corona is here, we have to learn to live with Corona, WHO says. Nobody anticipated that one day during our generation a pandemic will shake the world.

Plans ruined, flights cancelled, wounded hearts, bruised egos, disturbing questions and few answers. these are the effects of Covid-19 pandemic in the lives of many human beings today.

We also understand that pandemic offers two things, uncertainty and opportunity. For the pessimists they see uncertainty, but for the optimists they see opportunity. The pessimists are surviving, the optimists choose thriving.

My Hearty Message to Teachers on Creating a Second Source of Income Amid Corona Pandemic

Today my article will be specifically speaking to teachers (primary and secondary) and my colleague university lecturers and professors. All of us are teachers. I have a very strong message deep from my heart, to all the teachers.

Who is a teacher?

A teacher is a counsellor, pastor, winner of souls, public speaker, advisor, crisis manager, project manager, role model, mentor and believes in themselves. A teacher is a blessing to his generation, salt of the earth and light of the world. Doctors save lives, soldiers protect lives, lawyers defend lives, but teachers make lives. Everybody passed through a teacher, professors, doctors, engineers, even teachers passed through teachers.

Are You an Ordinary or Extraordinary Teacher?

Ordinary teachers teach to pay bills, good teachers teach to share knowledge, great teachers teach because they are passionate about teaching but extraordinary teachers teach to make the world a better place.

Hey teacher, the question is are you extraordinary or just ordinary? An extraordinary teacher is a time manager, organized, communicates expectations to his students, excell their career, and the most important thing is that they have an extra stream of income.

That’s where our discussion begins. When ordinary teachers are busy complaining, you’re busy creating a plan to have another stream of income after the Corona pandemic.

We also know that there’s no any rich person who has one source of income. There is no any multimillion dollar company that ventures in only one thing, examples are many, from Safaricom to Apple.

Teacher, it’s time to think about diversification

The rich multiply money, the middle class save money and the poor spend money. The rich invest then spend, the middle class save then invest, the poor spend then save. Remember, and I know I won’t be politically correct to say this, middle class is an idea of politicians given to us, these are people who are poor but trying to be rich. Richness is a mindset.

As an extraordinary teacher you should collect money, keep it then multiply it.

Tens of thousands of teachers under BOM have been given unpaid leaves. Hundreds of thousands of subordinate staff members in many schools and universities have been given unpaid leaves or pay cuts.

I Know the Pain Teachers Go Through

I understand the frustration, I understand the frustration of being given an unpaid leave,
I know the pain of staying home without employment yet you have good grades, I know the pain of seeing things fall apart, I know the pain of wondering about how to pay rent, I know the pain of not knowing where next meal will come from, I understand the pain of not knowing how you’ll meet next bills, I know the pain of seeing your friends prosper yet you’re stuck in the same place despite all the efforts you make, I know the pain of being the laughing stock, I know the pain of having nothing in the bank account, I know the pain of begging and borrowing from shylocks and Sacco’s, I know the pain of being a burden to your family and friends, I know the pain of wearing the same clothes over and over again, I know the pain of having suicidal thoughts, I know the pain of being ordinary, I know the pain of your subject tailing year in year out despite your efforts, I understand teacher.. this is the time to take stock.

World Will Be Messy After Corona Pandemic

Headteachers, Principals, and Vice Chancellors, world will be messy after the Corona outbreak. Primary schools will receive pupils who are lazy and crude, high schools will receive students who are mentally disoriented, universities will receive students who are morally disengaged. Institutions will receive workforce which is smart, most will have drafted their exit strategies, how will you keep them?

I remember when I was conducting a business training program to teachers of a certain high school in Embu county, and many teachers were saying they can’t own a business because they don’t trust anyone to look over it while they are away. Look, it’s not a matter of trust. It’s a matter of diversification. If you can’t trust someone else it means you can’t trust yourself.

Don’t start a business, Solve a problem

Don’t start a business, solve a problem. Many make the mistake of starting a business instead of solving a problem. Money is given as a result of solving a problem. My next article will be about how to identify problems in the society and provide solutions.

Teacher, you’re designed for accomplishment, engineered for success and endowed with seeds of greatness. It’s time to take stock of what you want, if one can’t manage a three month lockdown how can they manage 25 years retirement? Let’s ask ourselves.

Remember, change happens when the pain of staying the same is greater than the pain of change. We didn’t come this far to only come this far. Nothing can stop us from succeeding, not death or life, not angels or demons, not principalities or powers, not heaven or hell, not heights or depths, with or without Corona.

Teacher, don’t wait for the light at the end of the tunnel, be the light at the end of the tunnel. You can’t shine without darkness, the darkness right now is Corona. Take advantage of it. Will you stand out or continue fitting in?

Remember, you can’t deposit excuses in the bank.

By Sam Vidambu, CPA