We're starting to sound like linguists.

OK, Fish. You wrote:

"Goals to achieve by 2005"
means something different to
"Goals to adopt by 2005"

- and which of those two does "Goals by 2005" mean?

Please tell me you understand what I'm trying to get across here!

I don't think "Goals by 2005" excludes either goals to achieve or goals to adopt. The confusion would be your listing both goals to achieve and goals to adopt on the same list. You'd have to remember which was which. In that case, you'd do better to have two separate lists. However, I would think most people reading "Goals by 2005" would think you'd meant "Goals Reached by 2005." If you were writing something you were publishing, you'd probably want to include the verb "reached." But if you were just setting up a list of goals you wanted to reach, the "Goals by 2005" would do the trick. I don't think, in other words, most people think about the goals they want to establish by a date in the future.

Let me illustrate.

Goals by 2005: (here meaning "to adopt by")

1. Stop cussin' at dumb drivers
2. Start balancing my checkbook
3. Stop losing my check register
4. Start organ lessons

I think most people, happening across such a list named "Goals by 2005" would think that those were the goals I wanted to have met by 2005. I think the only way I could indicate that those were goals I wanted to adopt by 2005, even if not having carried through on them and met them, would be to write "Goals to Adopt by 2005."

I'm agreeing with you and disagreeing at the same time.

Now, do you understand what I'm trying to get across here?

WW