If your child learns to set goals early in life, he will develop those skills into habits that help him accomplish everything he sets out to do.  The key to helping your child learn those skills is to balance his dreams with your wisdom, as the following steps illustrate.

First, help your child identify things in life that he would like to do.  Let him brainstorm, and don’t assume immediately that any of his ideas are invalid.  Help him choose one thing to work on, no matter how farfetched it might seem to you.  For example, if he decides he wants to devote himself to becoming an astronaut, don’t inform him that only an infinitesimal percentage of the population ever experiences outer space.

Second, help your child list some steps that lead in the direction of achieving that goal, and make each step a goal unto itself.  For example, in order to become an astronaut, your child will benefit from getting into great physical shape, studying engineering and/or physics, getting a pilot’s license, and making some contacts at NASA.  While your child may not be nearly old enough to get a pilot’s license, you can help him learn everything possible about the various types of airplanes, rockets, space shuttles, etc.  Each of these steps can be worked on to some degree as your child grows.

Third, as your child passes milestones for attaining his goals—such as running his first 5k or touring the Air and Space Museum—congratulate him and encourage him to continue his pursuit of that overarching goal.

Finally, help your child learn to redirect what he has learned as his goals change.  Your child may reach high school and realize that he no longer wants to be an astronaut, but you could point out that his previous work in staying in shape and learning about aerospace technology has prepared him to follow a career in the Air Force.  Assure him that even if he changes his goals significantly, it is unlikely that the time and energy he invested previously will go entirely to waste.