Teach the teen the value of reverting back and determination in the backdrop of little failures and missed goals. Some wise words and advice would convey the idea. Relay several anecdotes or personal experiences about your own goal setting experiences. The personal touch is always the best, and for sure, your teenaged son or daughter would learn a lot from your own petty and major goal failures and aborted attempts. By being open about the idea, you are made open minded and receptive to the various and possible causes of pending failures. Thus, when such comes, you would come prepared for it and accept it more flexibly. Thinking about potential failure would also enable you to do better and conduct measures to actually prevent it from coming your way. And don't try to convince yourself that there are goals that are really meant to be written and nothing more; there is no such thing. Goals are meant to be achieved. This "achieving part" completes the goal setting process. What makes achieving goals twice as difficult compared with the goal setting part is that people tend to separate the two. You would not want to rule the whole world someday for sure. That could be an impossible life goal, but you can dream of something bigger for yourself. Know yourself, your likes and what really would make you happy. Follow your instincts when setting goals. Be positive. Remember, being optimistic would help you achieve and set better life goals for yourself. Perhaps the problem lies not in the lack of money or manpower. Perhaps the problem lies in the time constraint. You re planning to organize a blessing for your house in a three months time, and yet six months at the very least, will be needed to finish your new home. REALISM is the fourth letter of smart planning. When you are in a journey, you are open to almost everything, every stimulus, every possibility. This in turn will enrich you during the journey. You can use all the information you get along the way to assess and re-assess your career, and review, from time to time, your earlier career goal, and make improvements, revisions, or additions, as needed.