1. Do you believe your new objective is achievable? Or are there intermediate steps you need to take to believe that you can succeed?

2. Is it easy to test? Is there a simple, short-term way to test your aspiration to see if it's really the good fit you're hoping for?

3. Is the new aspiration familiar enough to be achievable while still being novel enough to offer an invigorating challenge?

4. Is it compatible with your identity how you show up in the world, and how the key people in your life (parents, partners, children, close friends) anticipate that you will show up? If not, it may still be worth pursuing, but expect pushback.

5. Is the reward going to be worth the cost? Leaving currently acceptable employment to pursue a dream entails costs of various kinds, not just financial ones. Spend time calculating whether the reward you anticipate is valuable enough to pay the price.

6. Does it align with your values? Is it in harmony with your why for your life?