This morning as I left home to head out on a run, the fog was so dense that I could hardly see ten feet in front of me. I couldn’t see my neighbors’ houses, I couldn’t see the end of the block, and when I got to the place where there is normally a view of the Pacific Ocean, I certainly couldn’t see that big expanse of water much less the horizon far beyond it.

Have you ever had that kind of experience? Maybe on a day when the sky is so full of clouds that it appears as though there is no sun? Or on a night when the city lights are so bright that you can’t see the stars?

When you think about it rationally and logically, you know that the sun and the stars are still in the sky, and the Pacific Ocean hasn’t disappeared, but it certainly seems as though they are gone. This phenomenon can be even more powerful when it comes to your goals.

There are times when, despite your best intentions, your vision will be clouded by your emotions or your thoughts or by something that has just occurred. These are the times when you may feel derailed or hopeless or lost or despondent. They are the times when you may be at risk of slipping back into old habits, habits that aren’t serving you any more, habits that won’t get you what you really want.

Here’s what you can do to make it through these times:

1. Be Clear About What You Want: Whether it’s a personal or a professional goal, be clear about what you want to achieve or accomplish. Be specific. Rather than saying that you want to be a better manager, set a goal to check in with your direct reports daily to ask how they are and how you can support them on their projects. Instead of stating that you want to be healthy, make the commitment to exercise at least three days per week or to stop eating sugar for the next month.
2. Know Who Will Support You: Who in your life wants to see you achieve your goals? Maybe this is a mentor at work, or a colleague whose interests are aligned with yours. Perhaps it is a friend with a similar goal, and you can choose to support each other. Maybe it’s a family member or close friend who you know loves you and wants you to be happy and have the life you want.
3. Enlist The Support of Others: Ask 1-3 people to support each of the goals you are focused on right now. Ask them if they would be willing to support you. Share your goals with them. Tell them exactly what you are committed to doing and why. Help them understand how important this goal is to you.
4. Ask Your Supporters to Hold You Accountable: Knowing that you have the support of others is great. But don’t stop there. Ask your supporters to hold you accountable. Commit to checking in with them at least once a week to report on whether you’ve done what you say you are committed to doing.
5. Stay Focused on Your Goals: By making the commitment both to yourself and to someone you care about and respect, you are more likely to stay on track and achieve your goals. At some point, though, you will hit a plateau, a moment of weakness, a day when your vision is so clouded that you cannot see the sun in the sky. When that happens, reach out to your supporters. Ask them to remind you of what you are trying to achieve and why it is so important to you, and just listen.