It’s July, and as you look back at the written goals you established for yourself in early January, you aren’t encouraged by what you see. Half of the year has moved into the past, and on the road to your chosen milestones, you’ve gotten nowhere. Or at least, you’re not where you thought you would be by now.

So what’s next? Should you give up and toss out the list? Should you revise it slightly in order to meet reality halfway? Or should you buckle down and keep on going as planned? Here’s how to find your answer.

First, reexamine your finish line.

Take a look at the end of your list, at the lofty, epic finish lines you broke down into subgoals and then into baby steps. Your big items might include things like “promotion to senior management” or “land Broadway role” or “write a novel” or “open new business”. Take a hard look at your big goal (or goals) and ask yourself: “Do I still want this?” Your circumstances have changed. If you’re a growing, evolving person, your personality may have changed as well. A lot can change in three months. If you still want that big whopper, move to the next tip. If not, toss your list and start again.

Revise your road map.

You still have your eyes on the same prize that attracted you in January. The road in front of you has twisted, as roads do, and you’ve encountered some distractions and obstacles, but you haven’t been deterred. So now it’s time to look at the map from above and redraw it. Mark out a new route, or a new list of subgoals and baby steps, that can get you to the same destination in six months instead of 12.

Chart a course around your obstacles.

Maybe there are some large boulders in the road, and you can’t easily scramble over them. Serious obstructions need to be respected; ignoring them won’t make them disappear. Maybe you’ve lost your job. Maybe you live in the wrong city. Maybe you’ve been injured. Maybe you’ve parted ways with a friend, mentor, or loved one. Maybe you didn’t have the tools and resources that you thought you had. Get out a pencil and calculator and engage your problem-solving skills.

Lighten your load.

The heaviest thing in your bag might be your expectations— for your circumstances and for yourself. If you’re carrying a perfect, flawless vision of success and you don’t want to settle for anything else, your perfectionism may be holding you back. Toss it out. While you’re rifling around in there, toss out the expectations of others (useless weight) and all the fear and drama that come from focusing on the past and future. Focus on the present, since it’s all you can control.

When your bag is repacked, hit the road and start again! For help, contact the career management experts at PSU.