Faced on a daily basis with at-risk students, special education students, and general education students who lack focus and direction, teachers can too easily focus only on pathology and risk factors rather than on strategies to help students. Teaching goal setting is a clearly defined method for redirecting the teaching patterns to guide students toward a more constructive path in life. Motivation increases when students genuinely feel that they control what occurs in their lives. This article describes a set of six principles that can work to help guide at-risk, special education, and regular education students on the goal-setting journey. The six steps to success are easy to remember and simple to teach because they do not require extra paperwork or additional preparation by the teachers. Students remain in control throughout the process, allowing the teacher to observe, assess, and evaluate student progress.