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The TakeAway – talking about goal setting with Tommy Quick

February 20, 2025


Tommy Quick was only 12 when his life was irrevocably changed.

Tommy says, "I woke up one morning with a headache, went into my parents' bedroom — literally 15 minutes later I was unconscious."

He had a stroke, with massive brain swelling requiring doctors to place him in an induced coma.

Five weeks and two days later, he woke up. Read more here.

What's one thing people might not know about you? (0.15 mins)

Tommy says, "I use a cane to walk and when I have a longer distance to go or am in pain, I use an electric or manual wheelchair. I always want to improve on walking, but sometimes it hurts." 

How important has goal setting been in your recovery? (0.46 mins)

Tommy says, "It's been important, certainly now, but in the day of the old stroke...I think the importance there was accepting what had happened to me, what the reality was like..... In the early days I needed to focus on my grieving process, and that this has happened to me......." 

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How did you balance goals and acceptance? (2.17 min)

"I had to give me time to grieve and understand that this was my new life and how I needed to adapt...."

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For some people finding acceptance takes a lifetime. How did you balance goal setting and acceptance? (2.05)

Tommy says, " To be honest I gave it time...."

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What advice would you give someone setting their first recovery goals? (3.13 mins)

Tommy says, "That's a tough question to answer. ...I remember one experience when I was two- or three-months post stroke. [Tommy tells a rehab story about falling over in hospital].....The moral of the story, I was given a psychologist."

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What is an example of a goal that you set yourself, and how you achieved it? (5.38 mins)

Tommy says, "I wasn't good at setting goals in the beginning, because I didn't think it was important, I didn't believe in it. Later on, when I went to Uni, I began to set goals for myself and saw the value in it."

P.S. Sorry for the sound of the plane.

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Did anyone help you to set goals or did you come to setting goals in your own way? (6.45 mins)

Tommy says, "Yes, one friend gave me an idea to do a mammoth ride. But really it was my own thoughts and building on that. And learning who to go to get support around me like my parents."

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How important is the support of people around you? (7.23 mins)

Tommy says, "I think it is very important. I think having that support to help you to say to yourself – yes, how you can do that, help plan and to give it a go."


How do you handle setbacks, or when your recovery feels slow? (7.50 mins)

Tommy says, "Probably a few things. [Tommy tells a story about 4points] one thing is when you are having a hard time, put it aside for that day. Accept the day and come back tomorrow..... Also, bring it back to the WHY, remind yourself why you are doing things."

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What strategies do you use to stay motivated and focused on your goals? (9.09 mins)

Tommy says, "As an example, the 4points ride was a huge undertaking. I would try to focus only on the day ahead and then break that day down into segments and then check off the activities as I did them. They became steppingstones - Remember Rome wasn't built in a day!"

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We always finish off on your favourite movie or song - what's on your song list? (10.22 mins)

Tommy says, "I like raging music, punk rock and a bit of country..... but right now, I am listening to 'Under the Knife, by Rise Again' because it suits my mood at the moment."