Provide a platform for students to articulate their desires. You could have them post their goals to the class website online, write them down during a time of quiet reflection, drop them anonymously in a shoe box to have each one read aloud or discuss them openly in a group setting. No matter how you do it, get kids pondering what they want out of life.
Discuss examples of influential people who have expressed the same (or similar) desires and achieved their goals. Choose examples from the same racial/ethnic/religious/socioeconomic status as your students, so they understand that people like just like themselves can achieve their dreams. For example, if a young kid wants to be discovered for his exceptional singing talent, point out that Justin Beiber got discovered by posting videos of himself on YouTube.
Look at the big picture and work backwards. Tell kids to imagine their goal has been accomplished; now ask them to work backward and mentally visualize how they arrived at success. A student whose goal is to graduate college with honors might look back and visualize herself studying hard, attending class, taking excellent notes, talking with her professors after class, turning in assignments on time, getting into the college of her choice, earning high ACT or SAT scores and getting good grades in high school.
Break down large goals into smaller, more manageable goals. Ask students to write down the steps they saw themselves taking on the way to achieving their goals. List each step as a goal in itself.
Break down manageable goals into daily tasks. Explain to students that achieving goals happens one day at a time; remind them that an entire life is merely a collection of daily habits. Ask students to write down two things they could do each day to accomplish the small steps that will help them accomplish their ultimate goals. For example, a student who wants to earn high ACT or SAT scores (for the ultimate goal of graduating college with honors), two things she could do each day include learning a new word for the English portion of the exams and completing a journal entry to improve her writing skills.
Set up a system of accountability. Help students stick to their goals by making them check in with you and with each other to discuss their progress.