550. An Optometrist's Vision Corrects His Career Path

Phil Potts

Phil worked with people’s vision for more than 20 years as an optometrist. Although the medical side of his life never harnessed his passion, he had an eye and heart for relationships that changed the path of his career.

Phil Potts is a nationally certified marriage coach, the director of Renegade Gentlemen Men’s Ministry, and the author of “Habits of Heroic Husbands.” A decade ago, he found himself at a marriage retreat, ranking his marriage on a 1-10 scale. The surprise came when he compared his number with his wife’s. They were miles apart, and the news hit him like a bombshell. That’s when he decided that he would begin fighting for his relationship with his wife. His book, Habits of Heroic Husbands, is a summary of what he did. Along the journey, he left his unfulfilling career as an optometrist to help other men who found themselves in a similar situation.

How Did You Start Using Your Talents?

“In high school and college people came to me to talk about their relationships, to ask me what they should do in this situation or that. Those were my favorite conversations, and they have been for my entire life. They’re the most meaningful to me. I decided, if I could make a living helping people with relationships, that’s what I’d do. But it took many years to see how I could put legs on that dream.”

The Most Impactful Turning Point?

“I had spent more than 20 years in optometry before I realized I was very much NOT fulfilled. I was not anywhere in my passion. I became very unhappy and unsettled about my career. I was restless and started looking for more. I’ve only been doing relationship counseling for two years and I love it! The deeper I get into it, the more I love it. That was the flip. When I was in optometry, the deeper I got the more I did not like it. That is such a comforting feeling and a very good sign to me that I’ve truly found my sweet spot.”

The Most Powerful Lessons Learned?

“Every step I have taken in the direction of pursuing what I believe God created me to do, my joy has increased, fulfillment and impact on my world has increased. I believe if we operate within what we were created to do—within our sweet spot, which is the only way to operate—we can have the highest levels of joy, personal fulfillment and satisfaction, and the greatest positive impact on the world around us.”

Steps to Success from Phil Potts

1. Focus first on discovering WHO you are, your passions and your loves. Then focus on caring for your family and serving others.

2. Recognize that you don’t have to starve for the rest of your life to do what you love.

3. Look for books, videos, webinars that will light a fire under you, the kind that can give you hope that you can make a living doing what you love. Hope is a powerful thing