Photo courtesy of Dr. Bethany Fishbein, who is seen here with her husband, hiking. Dr. Fishbein noticed parallels between the challenge of hiking and of the practice ownership journey.
Finding your way along your practice ownership journey
By Bethany Fishbein, OD
July 16, 2025
Last week my husband and I visited Nova Scotia for the first time. We were excited to hike the Cape Split Trail.
We’re not really hikers, but reviews promised that the roughly 10-mile trek through rocky terrain would be worth it for the incredible views of the Bay of Fundy.
Along the way, I also had an epiphany or two about creating a fulfilling career trajectory as an optometrist and practice owner.
Foggy Expectations
In hindsight, the empty parking lot probably should have tipped us off, but we set off in drizzle and fog, optimistically expecting the gloom to lift and the scenery to reward our efforts.
Spoiler alert: The fog did not burn off.
At every look-off—which is what they call scenic viewpoints in Canada, I learned—we saw nothing but fog. When we reached the tip of the peninsula, the supposedly iconic view was completely obscured.
Yet, we still count the hike as one of the highlights of our trip.
Enjoying the Process—on the Trail and in Optometry
For the first half of the hike, we were alone on the trail. It was rare and refreshing to be truly unplugged. We enjoyed the sound of our feet, noticed interesting leaves and flowers along the way and appreciated the chance to talk without distractions—or simply walk in companionable silence. By the end, we genuinely felt we had accomplished something.
Because I tend to reflect, I couldn’t help but notice the parallel to owning a practice.
We’ve been practice owners for 24 years and have set countless goals along the way. In the beginning, success meant hitting targets for exam numbers. Then it was hiring new staff, furnishing a second lane, acquiring new equipment, bringing on an associate, launching new services and hitting revenue milestones.
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The list is endless. There are always “scenic viewpoints”—the goals you think will be defining moments where you can finally pause and enjoy the view.
But more often than not, when we reach those goals, the view is foggy—or we’re too tired and busy to appreciate it—or, most likely, our mind is already on the next goal. It’s enough to make any practice owner wonder whether true satisfaction is ever really possible.
Finding Joy in the Journey
To me, it depends on how you look at it.
Before the hike, I planned to write this article inspired by a line from the Rush song “Marathon.” The school superintendent quoted it at our daughter’s graduation as he looked out at the faces of students celebrating one milestone, already eager for the next.
“From first to last, the peak is never passed. Something always fires the light that gets in your eyes.”
(He apparently quotes Rush every year.)
As entrepreneurs, we are rarely satisfied. Reaching one goal just means setting the next. There’s always a new challenge, a higher level, another endeavor to pursue. If you’re waiting for that perfect scenic vista of ultimate satisfaction, you might be waiting a very long time.
Walking through the fog in silence, hearing our feet on the trail, I realized the most important thing is to like the hike itself.
Celebrate Small Wins
So, find joy in the journey. Appreciate the patient who can see clearly for the first time in years. Enjoy the relationships you’ve built with patients who return to your office even after moving away. Pat yourself on the back for a great new hire. Be proud of the team member who steps into a leadership role. Celebrate with your staff when you reach targets, large and small.
Enjoy the views when you get them, but don’t rely on them as your only source of fulfillment.
The real reward is in the journey, and the fog doesn’t make it any less worthwhile.
Read another recent column by Dr. Fishbein
Bethany Fishbein, OD, is a practice owner, practice management consultant and certified executive coach. She can be reached at bethany@leadersofvision.com
