Being a dreamer isn’t a bad thing in a job search, unless such plans aren’t based on reality. Without that foundation, your ambition can become more frustration than fulfillment. Ask these key questions for a job search reality check.

Ambition is the fuel that can drive your career higher, allowing you to pick through obstacles, take on the big challenges, and go for spectacular wins at all stages of the game

But ambition can also make a person just plain crazy. Clouded by dreams of lofty achievements, some job seekers let their sound career plans become soured into delusional tales of miracles plucked from the jaws of impossible odds.

Are you one of those grand but flawed dreamers? Here are some key questions you should ask to determine whether you career plans are normal or nuts.

What do your peers think?
As with anything else, the people we know and respect can be the best reality check of all. Start by talking to colleagues about what you’re trying to do. Do they think it’s reasonable? Get opinions from a wide range of people, including friends, co-workers, and higher ups. Asking just friends may give you too rosy a picture of your possibilities. After all, who wants to tell someone dear to them that they’re hopelessly deluded?

What’s the normal job progression in your field?
Look at how everyone else in your profession seems to get where you’re trying to go. Sure, you might be able to skip some steps, get on the fast track, or develop the golden shortcut. But how often does that sort of thing happen? That’s not to say you should automatically rule out faster routes to your goals. But be open-minded and honest about how it really happens in most cases.

What might allow you to have a faster career progression?
As you consider what a typical career path is, look at the credentials, experience, and skills of those people who have already made it to where you’re trying to go. Do you have anything additional or unique that could allow you to make it there faster than they did? If you don’t, is there any way you could bolster your credentials so you can. Again, be honest.

Do you have detailed plans for your personal fast track?
Finally, if you do have something special that could allow you to climb higher faster than most people have in your situation, then what steps will you need to take to do so? Just because you have some kind of special talent or training, doesn’t mean people will jump at the chance to advance you along quicker.

To the contrary, if you don’t work it right, they might not ever know that you’re anything unique. So plan your moves. Look at your advantages. Chart where you need to be at various points along the way. Without such a plan, any really ambitious career goals could be considered nuts.