How I Set Recovery Goals That Actually Helped Me Heal From CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome)
Jun 04, 2025Click here to watch the video above on Youtube (so that you can leave a comment)
Overview
Hey it's Jeff...
Today I’m going to share how I set recovery goals that actually helped me heal from CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome).
So if you're a high-performer, and you’re used to setting big, ambitious goals, but now you’re struggling with chronic fatigue which makes it hard to set goals you can stick to, then this newsletter will really help you out.
I’ll share how I learned to set recovery goals that won’t burn you out, so you always know what you’re working toward and can measure your progress along the way.
The best part? This will keep you focused, motivated, and prevent you from feeling lost in your recovery journey, or as I like to call it, your comeback story.
Note: I suggest you watch the video version of this newsletter above, but if you're a reader, then that's what this written section is for :)
Quick disclaimer: No, I’m not a doctor, this is NOT medical advice, just my experience. But I DO know what it’s like to have your life put on hold by chronic fatigue, and more importantly, I know how to beat it, even when some doctors say it’s incurable.
Why setting recovery goals matters...
When you’re dealing with chronic fatigue, progress often feels invisible or painfully slow. That’s why setting goals is absolutely essential — but not just any goals. The right goals act like a roadmap, helping you track your progress and stay motivated, even on days when fatigue feels overwhelming.
Peter Drucker said it best: "If you can't measure it, you can't improve it." This couldn’t be truer for chronic fatigue recovery. Here’s why goals matter so much:
- Goals give you a clear roadmap. When recovery feels slow or invisible, goals create measurable wins that prove you are moving forward.
- Goals keep you motivated. Recovery is a journey with ups and downs. Goals help you stay committed even when progress seems minimal.
- Goals prevent overwhelm. Knowing your next small milestone reduces anxiety and helps you focus on manageable steps instead of feeling stuck.
- Goals increase your chances of full recovery. Those who recover fully tend to set intentional goals, work towards them consistently, and adjust their plans as needed.
Recovery isn’t about perfection. It’s about progress — and progress starts with setting the right goals.
Why it’s hard to set goals when you have chronic fatigue...
If you’re struggling to set or meet goals because of chronic fatigue, I totally get it. When I was going through CFS, I felt the same frustration. Each week, my symptoms seemed to get worse. The goals I set felt impossible to reach, and that crushed my confidence.
Before I got sick, goal setting was straightforward. I was a high performer who could set clear, ambitious goals and work hard until I achieved them. It was black and white. But with CFS, it became unpredictable. I never knew how I’d feel day to day. Some mornings, I woke up hoping I wasn’t worse than the day before.
I tried pushing through the fatigue, but that only made me crash harder. On the other hand, working very little left me feeling guilty and worthless for not living up to my potential. The longer I couldn’t set or reach goals, the more my self-worth plummeted.
I went from thriving in business, health, and life to being bedridden, unable to work, exercise, or even socialize. My passions and hobbies felt like distant memories. Maybe you’ve been there, too.
But then I discovered a different way to set goals — one that was compassionate, flexible, and realistic — and it changed everything.
The best way to set goals with chronic fatigue...
The secret? Add buffer to your goals. This means giving yourself more time to achieve your objectives. For example, instead of setting a goal for three months, set it for three to six months. Instead of daily goals, set weekly goals.
You’re not changing the goals themselves; you’re just being kind to yourself by extending the timeline.
Why is this so important? Because chronic fatigue often comes with feelings of unworthiness and emotional trauma. For many high performers, achievement was tied to feeling loved and worthy. When fatigue prevents achievement, it can feel like love and acceptance are at risk, which exacerbates stress and symptoms.
This is why self-compassion is critical. Be gentle with yourself and allow room for unpredictability in your recovery.
My personal recovery goals (for inspo for your goals)...
When I began my recovery, I knew I needed a clear direction. I created goals for the next three to six months with a flexible timeframe in mind. Here’s a snapshot of the goals I set, broken down into mindset, health, and lifestyle categories:
Mindset Goals
- Feel like myself again — confident, free from fatigue, pain, brain fog, and anxiety.
- Feel energized, clear-headed, and excited about the future.
Health Goals
- Become strong and healthy again.
- Walk 10,000 steps a day.
- Work out consistently.
- Get off all medications.
- Regain the strength and freedom to surf again.
Lifestyle Goals
- Resume work.
- Reconnect with loved ones.
- Enjoy life again.
Notice that I framed these goals as a vision of my future self, encompassing many smaller goals within each category. You can do the same. This vision-style goal setting helped me stay focused on the big picture while breaking down steps into manageable milestones.
Once I committed to these goals, I followed my three-step recovery plan (my “CFS to Wellness System”), tracked my progress weekly, and adjusted as needed. Slowly but surely, week after week, my mind cleared, my pain faded, and my energy returned. Within a few months, I had my life back.
My step-by-step goal creation system with examples...
To help you create your own recovery goals, I’m sharing part of my goal-setting system from my CFS to Wellness program. This system breaks down your goals into three main categories and then into mini goals and milestones to build momentum.
Step 1: Create Your Three Big Goals
Start by setting one goal each for mindset, health, and lifestyle. Here’s how to approach each:
Mindset Goal
Get clear on how you want to feel mentally and emotionally in the next three to six months. You can write this as a broad vision or specific measurable goals.
Examples:
- I will be brain fog-free in three to six months.
- I will be pain-free in three to six months.
- I will be anxiety-free in three to six months.
Remember, your goals should be realistic, measurable, and time-bound, but also flexible to adjust as you improve.
Health Goal
Define your health objectives, focusing on gradual improvement.
Examples:
- Increase my steps from 500 to 2,000 per day within three to six months.
- Increase my sleep from 4 to 7 hours per night within three to six months.
Lifestyle Goal
Set goals to help you reintegrate into your daily life and relationships.
Examples:
- Ease back into 6-8 hours of focused work per day within three to six months.
- Have three or more social outings per week without feeling drained.
- Be able to travel by airplane within three to six months without fear or anxiety.
Step 2: Define Mini Goals and Milestones
Underneath your big goals, set smaller mini goals and milestones to track your progress and build confidence. These are the wins you can celebrate along the way.
Here are some examples from my own recovery:
- Mini Goal: Maintain a 7+ out of 10 level of relaxation daily.
- Milestones: Achieve relaxation levels of 4, 5, 6, then 7 out of 10.
- Mini Goal: Get fully medication-free.
- Milestones: Gradually taper medications in increments until fully off (e.g., 80mg to 0mg).
- Mini Goal: Get 8 hours of sleep every night.
- Milestones: Increase sleep from 5 to 8 hours in half-hour increments.
- Mini Goal: Hit 10,000 steps per day.
- Milestones: Increase steps incrementally from 400 to 10,000.
- Mini Goal: Work out consistently 2-3 times per week.
- Milestones: Start with bodyweight upper body workouts once a week, then increase frequency and include lower body and weights.
- Mini Goal: Build strong, surf-ready legs.
- Milestones: Progress from 3 to 50 bodyweight squats, calf raises, jogging, and eventually sprinting.
- Mini Goal: Resume daily chores.
- Milestones: Start with taking out the trash, then cooking, unloading dishes, carrying groceries, driving, and getting haircuts.
- Mini Goal: Resume work full-time (6 hours/day).
- Milestones: Gradually increase work duration starting from 20 minutes up to 6 hours.
- Mini Goal: Reconnect with family and friends.
- Milestones: Visit family once a week at home, then outside, then increase social outings incrementally.
- Mini Goal: Enjoy walking around town and going on dates.
- Milestones: Walk short distances initially, gradually increasing to longer walks and social events.
- Mini Goal: Go to the beach daily.
- Milestones: Progress from sitting on the deck, to feet in the sand, walking on the beach, to surfing and full beach days.
- Mini Goal: Surf regularly.
- Milestones: Paddle, surf on a longboard, surf on different boards, and eventually surf advanced moves like getting barreled.
These mini goals and milestones gave me tangible proof of progress, which was critical to rebuilding my confidence and self-worth.
How to start setting your own recovery goals...
Now that you have a framework, here’s how to begin:
- Imagine Your Future Self: What do you want your life to look like in three to six months? Be specific about how you want to feel mentally, physically, and socially.
- Set Your Three Big Goals: Create mindset, health, and lifestyle goals that reflect that vision.
- Add Buffer: Give yourself flexibility in your timelines to reduce pressure and allow for setbacks.
- Break Down Into Mini Goals: Set small, manageable milestones that you can celebrate along the way.
- Track Your Progress Weekly: Keep a journal or use a system to monitor your wins and adjust goals as needed.
- Practice Self-Compassion: Be kind to yourself. Recovery is not linear, and it’s okay to have ups and downs.
Recap and final thoughts...
Now you know: how I set recovery goals that helped me heal from Chronic fatigue. All you have to do is start setting your goals with buffer!
Action step: set your vision/goals. Imagine: What do you want your life look like a few months from now?”
Most importantly, the message I want to leave you with is that if I could heal, after years of being stuck, so can you.
This is the beginning of your comeback story.
Thanks for reading and I’ll see you in the next newsletter!
-Jeff Bangshow
Your CFS To Wellness™ Mentor
P.S. Whenever you’re ready, here are 3 ways I can help you:
1.Join The Jeff Bangshow Newsletter: Join and get free weekly insights to overcome chronic fatigue naturally, rebuild your health, and achieve total wellness.
2.Work With Me 1-1: Get 1-1 mentorship from me personally to overcome chronic fatigue naturally, regain your health and achieve total wellness.
3.Book Me To Speak: Want me on your podcast or at your next event? I speak about overcoming chronic fatigue naturally and achieving total wellness. Email me the details: [email protected].