Dreaming about the future should be part of the curriculum, according to Greg Conderman and Natalie Young, professors at Northern Illinois University.

Starting in elementary school, activities like personalized vision boards—paper or digital canvases on which students depict themselves in future jobs—allow kids to explore possible careers “through their own authentic drawings, writings, and verbal presentations.” For beginners, vision boards might include writing down a career goal, drawing themselves in that role, and writing out a list of steps to achieve it. As students mature, vision boards can become more elaborate and strategic, aligning to college and career readiness standards, the authors say.

Weave vision boards into ongoing academic work by investigating the types of jobs biologists or writers occupy, for example. High schoolers can job-shadow and plot out college or certification costs, as well as expected salaries. To close the gap between a dream and reality, you need to work and then re-work your plan.