I had lunch with a long-time friend last week who mentioned in passing that many of her corporate clients refer to Labor Day as the start of the new year. I don’t know if it’s because the school year starts now and we were all ingrained as children to think of this as a time of new beginnings, but the start of September does often feel like the start of something new.

What the arrival of Labor Day definitely does signal is that the close of 2010 is only four months away. So it’s time to ask some tough questions. Are you going to make your business goals for the year? If you’re running behind, what can you do over the next four months to catch up so you end up where you want to be?

One good thing about the waning of summer – especially the extra hot summer of ‘10 – is that the cooling temperatures, at least here in New England, can be re-energizing. Things we’ve put off doing, like going to networking events, somehow seem easier when it’s 70 degrees outside instead of 95. Also, for those who are parents of school-age children, having the kids back in the classroom can remove some distractions. And if you have employees, summer vacations are over and everyone – including you – can now focus on getting the job done.

So let’s buckle up for a productive fall. The economy is still ailing so we’re all still in for some challenges. But I see plenty of light at the end of the tunnel and I hope you do too. Take time to assess how your plan for 2010 has worked so far and recalibrate as necessary. With hard work and a little luck, by the time the real New Year comes, we’ll all have something to cheer about.