A career map, or a detailed outline of where you are in your career and where you want to be, is a great way to keep you on track to your end goal and help devise alternate routes along the way if something doesn’t pan out the way you wanted it to.

The great thing is, you can make it as specific as you want (like make 6 figures by 2025) or as vague as you’d like (work for CNN). It will help you be in control of your career and will serve as a great reminder to what you’ve accomplished and what’s to come. Ahead we detail navigation tips to creating a career map.

1. Write down your primary objective. Here is where you should be specific: Do you want to become a manager? Do you want a more specialized role? Are you hoping to make partner? Are you seeking more responsibility? Be as detailed as you can be and make sure you can measure the objectives either by tasks or dates.
2. Write out your hard and soft skills. Pay close attention to the areas of your job that excite you and require minimal motivation; as well as the duties you are excellent at. Now that you know what you’re good at, try to uncover your weaknesses. What do you need to be more efficient at? What do you need more education or experience in?
3. Now that you know what you want and what you’re good at, make your request known. Fill your manager in and ask for input and feedback often. You want to make sure your boss also sees you going in the intended direction. Often times, they can suggest additional training and assign you with tasks to prove your credibility. Bosses can also be a great foundation for networking.
4. Goals can sometimes have a way of feeling unattainable or too lofty of an idea. Remember, all large goals start with smaller ones, so break it down, set clear action steps and deadlines for accomplishing the smaller tasks. When you reach those milestones, allow yourself to feel the accomplishment and relish in the fact that you are one step closer.
5. Stay the course. Roadblocks and struggles are inevitable. The important thing is to stay focused and stay the course.

Photo via Medium/Diana Thai