How to Set Goals When You're at Zero

Jan Carter
Oct 25
9 min read

Season 1 Episode 2

The SMART Start

Episode Summary

Rebuilding your life after a major health event means learning to move forward without falling flat on your face. In this episode, host Jan Carter, shares personal insights on navigating recovery from a serious condition like blood clots, emphasizing why traditional goal-setting fails and introducing a better way to set goals for the body you have now, not the one you remember.

COLD OPEN

A big part of shaping that new life is learning how to move forward, without falling flat on your face. After being diagnosed with blood clots in my lungs, I was left with a condition called dyspnea—a constant, draining shortness of breath. During those first months, my entire world was the size of my street block. I could walk to the end of it and back, and that was my limit. After the clots had cleared, I began the real work, and I've spent the past year on that slow road of rebuilding. I’ve learned that the biggest mistake we can make in recovery is trying to set goals like we used to. Today, we're talking about setting goals for the body you have now, not the one you remember.

INTRODUCTION

Jan: We're talking about getting off that hamster wheel of self-defeat, how to set goals when you're starting from absolute zero, and how to trade frustration for real, sustainable progress. And the framework we'll be using is a classic for a reason: SMART goals. That's 'S' for Specific, 'M' for Measurable, 'A' for Achievable, 'R' for Relevant, and 'T' for Time-bound. We’re going to explore how each of these letters provides a crucial tool for building a plan that works for a body that's healing.

MAIN BODY: PART 1 - THE FOUNDATION (S, M, & A)

Jan: So let's break this down, starting with the three letters that form the absolute foundation of any good comeback goal: Specific, Measurable, and Achievable.

First, 'S' is for Specific. This is all about clarity. A vague goal is a wish; a specific goal is a plan. It answers the question: What exactly am I going to do? For example, the wish is 'I want to get healthier.' The specific goal is, 'I will walk, right after I finish lunch.'

Next, 'M' is for Measurable. This is about evidence. It answers the question: How will I know I've succeeded? 'Walk more' is not measurable. But 'a walk to the end of the block and back'—that you can track. It’s a defined distance. It's data you can look back on and say, 'I did that.'

And that brings us to the most important letter of all: 'A' for Achievable. This is where we need to be radically honest with ourselves. This is about radical acceptance. And there's a powerful scientific reason for this. Research shows you can lose functional strength about four times faster than you lose actual muscle size. On top of that, psychologists talk about 'self-efficacy'—your brain’s belief that you can succeed. When you set a tiny goal and achieve it, you provide your brain with an undeniable victory, which builds the fuel you need for the entire journey.

Of course, all this science is one thing on paper. I had to learn the hard way what it feels like in real life. My turning point came when a friend pulled me aside. I was telling him how frustrated I was, how I'd have one good day followed by two days of total exhaustion. He looked at me and said, "It sounds like you're still trying to perform at 80 or 90 percent of your old self." He suggested I think of my energy like a phone battery and try using just 10 percent a day. Honestly, my ego bristled at that. Ten percent? I thought, 'No, I need to fast-track this recovery.' So, I decided I'd aim for 50 percent. I thought I was being clever. Instead of running my old route, I decided to just walk it—same distance, less intensity. But even that was too much. I was still completely wiped out for the next two days. My friend was right. It was a humbling lesson. I had to reduce my target down dramatically. Finally, after a few days of experimenting, I landed on it: my new baseline was just walking to the end of my block and back. That was it. It wasn't a run, it wasn't impressive, but it was repeatable. The next day, I could do it again. I had found the real starting line. And in that moment, I realized I had created my first true comeback goal. It was Specific: I will walk. It was Measurable: to the end of the block and back. And finally, after all that struggle, it was truly Achievable. That was the foundation.

MYTH BUSTER MINUTE

(SFX: Myth Buster sound effect - a quick whoosh and a 'ding')

Jan: It’s time for a Myth Buster Minute. Today’s myth is a big one, and it stops so many people before they even start. It’s the myth that if you can't work out for at least 30 or 60 minutes, it's not worth doing at all. I’m here to tell you that is absolutely false. Your body doesn't have a stopwatch that only starts counting the benefits after the 30-minute mark. It gratefully accepts and responds to every single stimulus you give it. The scientific evidence is clear on this. Credible sources like the American College of Sports Medicine confirm that all your activity adds up. Those short, 10-minute bouts of movement throughout the day are just as effective for your health as one long session. So the truth is: every single minute counts. A 10-minute walk is infinitely better than the 0-minute workout you didn't do because you thought you didn't have enough time. Don’t let the idea of a 'perfect' workout become the enemy of a good one.

(SFX: Myth Buster sound effect)

MAIN BODY: PART 2 - THE JOURNEY (R, T, & THE SPIRAL OF RECOVERY)

Jan: Now that you have your foundational S-M-A goal, it's time to talk about the journey. This is where the last two letters of SMART come in: 'R' for Relevant and 'T' for Time-bound. And this is where we need to talk about the true nature of a long-term comeback: recovery is a spiral. Imagine a spiral staircase. Some weeks you're moving up. Other times, you're on a plateau, holding steady. And some weeks, you might even have a regression, a step or two lower than before. This isn't failure. This is the normal path. And understanding how to navigate it is where the letter 'R' for Relevant becomes your most important guide. A plateau is a celebration—a new, stable baseline. But a regression is powerful feedback. It’s your body forcing you to ask if your goal is still the most relevant one.

I experienced this firsthand. In the months after my blood clots cleared, my main focus was just building up my walking. Slowly but surely, those walks started getting longer, and eventually, they began turning into short, tentative jogs. I was feeling that upward trend on the spiral, and honestly, I was getting excited. But it was like I was trying to put the roof on a house before the walls were even built. I was so excited about the end result—the running—that I completely skipped the essential, boring work of building the structure. And every time I went for a slightly faster jog, it was like a strong gust of wind would come and the whole flimsy frame would start to wobble and break. First, my calf would strain. Then my back. It wasn't until I mentioned this to a physical therapist and she asked a simple question: 'Are you strong enough to be running?' that the lightbulb went on. I was so focused on the 'roof' of running that I had completely ignored the 'walls' of basic strength. That was the 'aha' moment. The most relevant goal for me wasn't 'finish the roof.' It was 'go back and build the walls'—I had to build strength in my legs, hips, and core so that I could eventually run on a solid foundation.

And here's the amazing part—the real silver lining when your body forces you to learn something new or remember how to do something after months of not doing. You’re not just building muscle; you're actively remodeling your brain. It's a process scientists call neuroplasticity. Think of it like this: the 'plastic' part means 'changeable' or 'moldable.' For years, it was thought the adult brain was fixed, but now we know it’s constantly rewiring itself based on our actions. Imagine your brain has all these well-worn trails for movements you do automatically. When you have to learn a new, unfamiliar movement—like how to do a proper squat or engage your core—you are forcing your brain to be a trail-blazer. You're hacking a brand new path through the woods. At first, it’s slow, awkward, and takes intense concentration. But here’s why this is so important and how it ties directly back to setting SMART goals. That slow, awkward effort is the process of neuroplasticity in action. And the SMART framework is the perfect tool to guide it. Your goal becomes Specific: 'learn to do one perfect bodyweight squat.' It’s Measurable: 'hold the squat form for 5 seconds.' And it’s Achievable: you start by using a chair for support. Practicing that small goal over Time is what carves that new path in your brain. So when a regression forces you to set a new, more Relevant goal like building strength, don't see it as a detour. See it as a body and brain-building opportunity, powered by the very SMART goals we're talking about today.

That brings us to the final letter: 'T' for Time-bound. This isn't about a deadline; it's about respecting the long, winding timeline of the spiral. And the key to staying motivated over that time is to measure your small steps. Neuroscientists talk about the 'dopamine loop'—a chemical reward your brain gives you when you achieve a small goal, which makes you want to do it again. By measuring progress, you are literally training your brain to crave the effort.

That desire to see progress is exactly what pushed me to my next phase. For several months, my main activity was just that—walking and jogging. Then I started doing some core exercises at home, and some light weights to strengthen my body. I was doing just a little bit more each week, and my baseline was slowly but surely rising. But I felt my motivation starting to plateau. I knew that to keep moving up that spiral, I needed two new things: the energy that comes from training with other people, and a new way to measure my recovery. So, I took a deep breath and asked a friend if I could join his soccer team. Now, I need to be very clear: despite being English, I am not a good soccer player. Those first games were embarrassing; I was clumsy and ran out of energy almost immediately. But I went in with a simple, measurable, time-bound plan. My goal was: be on the field for 5 minutes, then sub off for 15 and repeat. That was my 'win' for the day. And I tracked it. After a few weeks, that 5 minutes became 10. After several months, I was on the field for 30 minutes at a time. I had a tangible measurement of my improvement. I could literally see the numbers going up, and for the first time in a long time, that feeling... that was better than any goal I could have scored. And let’s be clear, I did NOT score any goals in the game that season.

CONCLUSION

(Gentle, reflective transition music begins to fade in softly)

Jan: So let’s bring it all together. Building a comeback plan that actually works isn't just about being smart, it's about being honest and kind to yourself. It starts with a solid foundation by making your first goal Specific, Measurable, and truly Achievable. Then, it's about navigating the journey by keeping your goals Relevant to where you are today and respecting the Time it takes. It’s about understanding that your recovery will be a spiral, not a straight line. It's about learning to celebrate the plateaus as moments of strength, and viewing the regressions as valuable teachers. Ultimately, setting the right goals after a health crisis isn't about chasing the person you used to be; it's about methodically and kindly building the person you are now becoming.

Your Next Small Step

(A short, distinct musical bumper for the next segment)

Jan: Now for the most important part of this episode. Turning these ideas into your action. Your next small step is to create your first S-M-A goal. I want you to grab a piece of paper or just open the notes app on your phone. Ask yourself this one question: What is the absolute smallest unit of specific and measurable movement I am 100% confident I can do tomorrow and still feel good the day after? Maybe it’s 'walk to the mailbox and back one time.' Maybe it’s 'do five squats while holding a counter.' Just find it, and write it down. That’s your starting line. That’s your first step on the spiral. And we'll build from there.

THE COMEBACK CORNER

And now we’ve come to a segment I’m incredibly excited about, The Comeback Corner. This is the space where we share your stories, your triumphs, and the lessons you've learned on your own recovery journeys. We’d be honored to feature you in the future. Just send us an email at thesecondwindpodcast@gmail.com.

This week, Steph shares her experience of discovering she had significant Deep Vein Thrombosis and learning she was as ill as one could be without hospitalization. She then discusses how she reevaluated her expectations and goals to cultivate a new lifestyle. Be sure to listen for a phrase I've grown to appreciate: "The tonic of time and how it heals you."