“Change is not a threat, it’s an opportunity. Survival is not the goal, transformative success is.” – Seth Godin
THE PAST FEW months have given me a new perspective; one I haven’t had in more than two decades. After 25 years as president and CEO of Texas State Optical, I am stepping away from that role. Not because I’m retiring, but because I feel a deeper call to realign my time, energy, and leadership with the next chapter God is writing for my life.
Transitions like this are rarely easy. They stir up emotion, uncertainty, and often, a profound sense of disorientation. But they can also bring clarity if you know how to look for it.
In many ways, what I am experiencing personally mirrors what many in our profession are going through right now. Across optometry, independent practice owners are navigating their own transitions. Some are watching reimbursements shrink while overhead climbs. Others feel growing pressure from private equity acquisitions, online retailers, or the shift in patient expectations toward speed and convenience over continuity of care.
It’s easy in seasons like this to feel like your vision — personally or professionally — has become blurred. But I believe it’s precisely in times of disruption that we must rediscover and reclaim our truest sense of vision.
Advertisement
The Eye Exam We Don’t Schedule. As ECPs, we understand that clear vision doesn’t just happen. It requires assessment, correction, and ongoing care. The same is true for the “inner vision” that drives our leadership, businesses, and lives. But unlike an annual eye exam, most of us don’t schedule time to recalibrate our personal focus.
When the marketplace shifts, the temptation is to tighten budgets, cut services, or double down on what worked in the past. But leadership through transition demands something more strategic and courageous. What is the new vision this season requires?
That question isn’t just for those at a professional crossroads — it’s for every OD feeling the pressure of a changing industry. If you’re still trying to succeed with a vision written a decade ago, it may be time for an update.
From Reaction to Redirection. In his book, Think and Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill identifies “Definiteness of Purpose” as the starting point of all achievement. Without it, we drift. With it, we endure.
In transitional seasons, purpose becomes your compass. It allows you to lead from principle instead of panic. To evaluate opportunities not by how easy or familiar they are, but by how aligned they are with your future vision.
When I stepped down, I didn’t have all the answers. But I did have clarity of purpose: to continue equipping others to live and lead with intention, faith, and impact. That clarity has become the lens through which I evaluate every opportunity.
What’s Your Lens? What matters most to you right now? Not just in business, but in your life, your family, your legacy?
If you can’t answer that, now is the time to step back and rediscover it. Not only for your own peace of mind, but for the people looking to you for leadership.
Rediscovering Vision. Here are some questions to help sharpen your vision:
- What am I still doing that no longer serves my highest purpose?
- Where have I settled for comfort over clarity?
- What parts of my business or leadership style need to evolve?
- Who do I need to become in order to lead my practice (and life) into its next chapter?
Advertisement
These don’t have easy answers. But they do have power. When answered honestly, they illuminate the path forward and give us permission to let go of what no longer fits.
Seeing What’s Possible. The truth is transition is something to embrace, not avoid. Not because change is comfortable, but because it’s necessary. If we want to lead with integrity, we must let go of outdated models and stale visions to rediscover what’s possible. Your practice and your people don’t need a perfect leader. They need a present one. A leader willing to adapt, listen, grow. One who can see clearly not just what is, but what could be.
So, if this season finds you in transition, take heart. You’re not losing your vision — you’re being invited to sharpen it.
