How Do You Instill a 'Work Ethic' in Your Child?

From an Eagle Rock Mom:

I recently read that interview with Eagle Rock Whiz Kid Alejandro Jaramillo and frankly, I just about started crying. How does a parent develop such personal character and instill such a work and achievement ethic in a child?

My two daughters, both in middle school, are top students. But while they are naturally intelligent and do well in the public school system—and I am hugely grateful for this—I also really have to push them. They also have yet to really define any dreams for themselves.

Yesterday, at ballet, we met this little boy who was taking beginning lessons. When I asked him why, he said, with touching sincerity, that he was cross-training and that his main sport was figure skating. Then without any prompting he said: “My goal is to win an Olympic gold medal for figure skating.” Okay, so maybe his parents coached him toward that goal—but at least he has one, and seems willing to do what it takes to get there.

How do you help your children develop big dreams for themselves? How do you instill the work ethic necessary to achieve those dreams?