Every January, my husband and I set goals for the year. We each create personal and professional lists and set deadlines. Neither of us ever achieves all of our goals, but we do fairly well because of the way we use our lists.

One trick is to restrict list items to goals that we really want. For example, this year I would like to expand overseas but am more committed to opening a California office, so that goes on my list. We also outline tasks required to attain each goal and review the list during the year to stay on track.

Your chance of attaining goals increases when you prioritize goals and create a list of tasks for achieving them. This process impacts the way you mete out your time and money during the year. It also streamlines decision-making, since all actions should be taken with an eye toward moving closer to your goals.

If your goals for 2000 are in place, begin to address the steps to achieve them. Here are some ideas to get you started.

– Mark your calendar. Set dates for the goal-related tasks, including when you need to outline plan details and when to take first steps. Put these dates on your calendar now.

– Identify needed skills. Evaluate your skill set to determine if your inexperience in a particular area will interfere with goal success. If you determine it will, outsource work, hire staff or train yourself to accomplish the tasks.

For instance, if you want to do cash flow projects this year, hire a financial adviser or skilled bookkeeper or enroll in a course to learn how to do it yourself.

– Seek assistance. You may discover that you can achieve goals more quickly by networking with the right people. These might be colleagues who have already accomplished what you hope to achieve or acquaintances who have connections with influential people.

For instance, if you want to write a book, contact friends or business associates who know book agents or publishers.

– Watch for potential barriers. Many victors win the war by preparing for multiple battles. Consider possible events and situations that might prevent goal attainment and prepare a strategy for dealing with them. Preparation will help you overcome obstacles quickly if they become issues.

– Look for shortcuts. Nothing’s worse than realizing that a goal you struggled to achieve could have been accomplished more easily. Do some research to ensure you’re approaching goals efficiently. For example, if you want to write a business plan, review online tools and software packages designed to streamline this process before jumping onto a word processor and starting to work.

– Keep your goal list handy. Revisit and reprioritize goals quarterly and post the most critical ones on a wall in your home office. A visual reminder will keep you focused all year.

– Get a goal-buddy. Have a periodic meeting with a colleague or friend to review goals. These meetings give you the opportunity to focus on long-term goals, rather than daily concerns. In addition, the fear of admitting that you haven’t attained goals to someone else may propel you to action.

– Learn from the past. If you set goals for 1999, review them. Did your plans materialize? If not, why not? Take a look at the list above and determine if foresight in any of these areas would have helped you achieve goals last year. Be sure not to lose sight of these areas in 2000.

Letters From Readers

Ushering in a new millennium is bound to provide us with some momentum to move projects forward or to try something new. One thing that is sometimes forgotten, however, is that moving forward often means facing new challenges, such as the ones being tackled by the readers below. Here’s what they had to say and my response:

I am a self-employed salesperson who works out of my home. My wife and I have purchased a home that will be ready in a few weeks. I would like to know the most tactful, cost-effective way to notify my clients of my move. I will be changing phone numbers and plan on having calls forwarded from the old number to the new one. I will also set up an outgoing message on my old number announcing the change. D.D.

You’ve taken some proactive steps to ensure clients don’t get lost in your shuffle. You can do some additional things, as well, to keep track of customers and perhaps enhance your marketing efforts in the process.

After the relocation, set aside half a day and personally notify your best clients of the change. This move is likely to leave them impressed by your client-service skills and attention to detail. If you are moving to a bigger home office, you can also use this relationship-building time to underscore the success of your business.

Follow up your conversation by mailing your new business card to these contacts. This will reinforce the updated information in case it was scribbled on a sticky note and lost. Depending on your budget, you may also want to create Rolodex cards for your clients’ files.

For less-frequent clients, you may be able to send an e-mail or traditional letter announcing the change. E-mail is obviously more cost-effective since it does not require postage, but it does not allow you to provide a physical reminder of the change, such as a business card.

Vendors and other business partners can be notified of your move by mail, using either the address change announcement form provided by the U.S. Postal Service or an announcement you create. If you need a USPS address change kit, you can visit the USPS online at www.usps.gov.

I’d like to start a summer camp for kids, and I know of a perfect place to do it. I just need to write out a proposal, or business plan, for the owners of the facility. Are there books or Web sites I should consult? I’m an educator, not a businessperson! Help! , L.G.H.

If you prefer to do research in hard copy, you may want to take a look at “The Business Planning Guide: Creating a Plan for Success in Your Own Business” by David Bangs (Upstart Publishing Co.). It includes two sample business plans and a sample partnership agreement, as well as other helpful and clearly written worksheets. I’ve seen this practical guide show up on required reading lists at business schools. This book can be purchased at local bookstores or online through major booksellers.

I can recommend two online options for your research, as well. One is the American Express Small Business Exchange (www.americanexpress.com/smallbusiness), which has a section devoted to creating an effective business plan. It also offers additional resources that you may find helpful as you start your business, such as financial management, hiring and insurance tools. Another informative site is www.bplans.com). It is supported by Palo Alto Software, makers of business plan software.

Alice Bredin is author of the “Virtual Office Survival Handbook” (John Wiley & Sons) and a nationally syndicated columnist.