Subscribe to our newsletter to receive business tips, learn about new funding programmes, join upcoming events, take e-learning courses, and more.
Take the first step to successfully starting and growing your business.
Join for freePosted: Fri 23rd Oct 2026
When you work for yourself, you are both the boss and the employee.
Without a clear system, it's easy to get trapped in an anxiety loop, obsessing over distant revenue goals while drowning in daily procrastination. This webinar eliminates the chaos.
By combining goal-setting principles with the GROW model and the Pomodoro technique, learn to spend the first 10% of your day building an impenetrable execution engine.
System over outcomes: Discover why fixating on the finish line causes business paralysis and how to shift your focus to a daily 25-minute system that guarantees progress.
The morning strategy filter: Learn how to use seven steps of goal achievement and the GROW framework to clear out administrative noise and isolate your single highest-value task.
Interval-based execution: Master the Pomodoro technique to attack your heaviest workloads in strict, distraction-free blocks
Martyna Jablonska is a confidence and performance coach and the founder of Academy of Confidence.
After 15 years in high-pressure property operations, a personal journey through professional burnout inspired her to pivot and help others.
Today, she empowers others to overcome low self-belief, find clarity and achieve goals.
Watch more expert webinars
Access a growing collection of expert-led webinars covering marketing, sales, finance, growth and more – ready whenever you are.
Lightly edited for clarity.
Caitriona O’Connor: Hello, everyone, and welcome to today’s Lunch and Learn. My name is Caitriona, and I’ll be your host today. For those of you attending a Lunch and Learn for the first time, Enterprise Nation is a vibrant community platform for start-ups and small businesses.
I’m pleased to introduce Martyna, who is a confidence and performance coach. In this session, Martyna will explore how to combine goal setting, the GROW model and the Pomodoro Technique to build effective daily routines, strengthen focus and improve productivity.
If you have any questions throughout the webinar, please post them in the chat, and we’ll do our best to answer them at the end of the session. Today’s webinar will be recorded, and we will send you a follow-up email with the recording and further resources later today. Over to you, Martyna.
Martyna Jablonska: Thank you, and hello. Welcome, everyone, to this webinar, where we will be talking about achieving goals without stressing, burning out and sweating. We all need goals, especially if we are business owners and a one-man band.
Why do we need goals in our life? Well, think of a drifting ship in the middle of the ocean. The captain is drunk, the crew doesn’t know what to do, they are all confused, and the ship is completely directionless.
That’s exactly what happens to us humans when we don’t have goals in our lives. We need them to feel that we’ve achieved something, to feel a sense of purpose and to feel fulfilled. So today, I would like to introduce a few tips about how to achieve goals.
Before I do that, I will give you a quick introduction. I’m Martyna, and I am a confidence coach.
I spent 15 years in property operations before I decided to change my ship and change my direction. Today, I help people whose inner critic is too loud and tells them that they can’t do it or they are not good enough, and I help them to get their voice back.
So let’s talk about achieving the goal. We’ve got one big goal which we want to achieve, and most of the time we tend to focus on the final line, on the goal. We forget to focus on the process, which is incredibly important in achieving a goal.
We’ve got this lovely lady, a runner, and she has already reached the finish line. But before she did that, she had to go through the process. She probably felt some pain and sweat; there were maybe tears and self-doubt – why am I doing this?
It’s the same with goal achievement. Instead of focusing on the final goal, which is obviously very important, we should pay more attention to the process.
Fixating on the finish line is what freezes your business, because you are not thinking about what’s going on before your finish line. That needs to change, obviously.
So how do you do it? Well, first of all, shift your thinking onto the process, as I said before. The goal is very important, but the process is more important.
Translate your vision into very precise daily actions. Ideally, make a list of those actions and make them 100% controllable.
There will be people who will disagree with your goal, with your vision, and people who will try to make you doubt yourself. There will be external factors and obstacles that will affect your process, and you need to be fully prepared to manage them. You need to be in 100% control to deal with them.
And, obviously, you will have negative thoughts and self-doubt that will wander around your mind, and you need to deal with them as well. Remind yourself why you started this idea, this goal, in the first place.
Never, ever doubt yourself – make that self-belief very strong. So when that negative thought starts wandering, shift your mind onto an immediate task that is related to the process.
A very important part of your journey, of your process, is celebrating your micro wins. We tend to forget about that. We tend to celebrate the final achievement, the big goal, the finish line.
But what’s important in the process is to be kind to yourself and celebrate those small wins that relate to your process. We have seven steps to achieve your goal, which I personally find very useful.
First of all, you need to decide what exactly you would like to achieve. What is your goal? It doesn’t have to be a five-year plan – it can be a goal for the next few days, but you need to know exactly what you want to achieve.
Obviously, the goal, the idea, the vision will be in your head. Write it down – never keep it in your head. Once you’ve got it on paper, it becomes more real, and you can see the idea in a more real light rather than just somewhere in your head.
Set a clear deadline. When our goal has a start and an end date, again, it becomes more real.
My clients very often see that. They say, ‘Martyna, I eventually put it on paper, and it’s working, and I can actually make things happen. Whereas when I kept it in my head, it was just living rent-free in my head and nothing was happening.’
So having that deadline written down and working towards it makes your goal more achievable and more real. You will see obstacles during your journey – they will be there.
Some things will happen during your journey to achieve your goal that will affect the process, and you need to identify them. Think about them before they happen, so you are prepared to deal with them and know what could possibly happen, with a plan A or B.
As I said before, there will be people who will doubt you, who will have a different opinion and a different vision. Stick to your vision. Your mind is an incredibly powerful tool, so never, ever doubt yourself – you want to achieve something, so you go for it.
You will need to identify the knowledge and skills you need to achieve your goal, regardless of whether it’s a small goal or a mission to Mars or the moon. See what resources are available, and whether you need to outsource help or machinery.
Whatever your goal is, do some research, do your homework and make a very detailed plan of how you’re going to achieve your goal, your idea, and how it’s going to happen. Once you have it on paper, trust me, it’s going to be much easier than keeping it in your head.
When you make your plan, break it down into smaller tasks. When your plan is big and you see this big written plan, it may feel overwhelming, but once you break it down into smaller sections, it feels achievable and doable, and you can easily make it happen.
Once you’ve made a plan, make a plan for each day – what are you going to do each day? Take action on your plan every single day to move closer to your goal.
You can spend as much time every day as you want working on your plan, or you can dedicate a certain amount of time to working on your goal. But take action every day, because if you stop, there will be procrastination and self-doubt, and that will just slow down the process.
I’m going to tell you about this very useful GROW framework, which is used by coaches in their sessions. It’s a very friendly framework that you can use regardless of what you want to achieve, whether it’s a small daily task or something bigger.
It’s called GROW, as you can see, and G is for goal – no-brainer. So write it down on paper again. Things become so much easier when they are on paper.
I’m old school, and I’m a big fan of pen and paper. So, goal: what do you want to achieve today or this week, or what is going to be your next five-year goal? You need to identify it and know it, so write your goal down.
Reality: where are you at with your goal? What is actually on your plate? Are you prepared to give things up and commit to your goal, and do you have time to do it?
You need to establish whether you are in the right place to achieve whatever your goal is. Options: how can you move forward, and what are your options?
Do you need to speak to some people, learn something or outsource things? Do you need extra childcare? Whatever you need, think of the options.
And way forward: what are you going to commit to achieve your goal, and when? This is going back to the seven-point plan – put a date on it.
When is this all going to happen? Today, tomorrow, in a month’s time, or maybe next year because you are not ready or you’ve got too much on your plate? Think of those things.
So in the morning, when you’re up and ready, you’ve had your breakfast, your coffee, your morning run, whatever, and you are ready to hit the day, dump every single task, email and request you’ve got on your plate into a list. This is, again, going back to my advice about writing down the things you need to do.
There’s nothing better than a to-do list that is actually on paper, not living in your head. Once you see that list, it’s much easier and much more achievable.
Delegate things – if you can delegate, amazing. See how you can release a little of the administrative noise, what can be done later and where you can get help, so you don’t overwhelm yourself with everything.
Then establish which task has the highest importance and needs to be prioritised. Schedule that task as your most important thing to do and commit a 25-minute block to it.
Why the 25-minute block? I’m not sure if you’ve heard of this, but it’s called the Pomodoro Technique, and it’s a time management technique. I will put up another slide that may look better.
The Pomodoro Technique, as I said, is a time management technique that’s broken down into 25-minute intervals. You work for 25 minutes solid, with absolutely no interaction with your phone, your TV, nothing.
You just work for 25 minutes, then you get a five-minute break. Then, again, you work for 25 minutes and break for five minutes.
The 25-minute intervals are called Pomodoros, and they go into four blocks of 25 minutes with a five-minute break. If your task is massive, you can make them bigger – let’s say a 50-minute working interval.
Then you work for 50 minutes solid, with no distractions, nothing, and then you get a 15- to 30-minute break, and then again. That is a great technique to keep your focus and achieve what you need to achieve.
So here’s a breakdown of the Pomodoro Technique I just explained. It’s a great technique, like I said before, and it allows you to really focus on what you need to do. It’s very, very famous amongst people with ADHD.
And, again, your distractions. I know phones are almost glued to our hands, but make sure that while you are working, you are distraction-free, so you can actually achieve what you want to achieve.
The 25 minutes is not really a lot, but you will make things happen within this block – trust me. For example, if an idea pops into your head while you’re working during this 25- or 50-minute block, just write it down.
Don’t break your task while you’re working. Write the idea down on a piece of paper, go back to your task, and then think about whatever you’ve written during your break or after you’ve finished. Don’t distract yourself with anything.
So, summarising: control the daily process, the process that will take you to your goal. Make sure that you are armed with control and fully in control of your process.
Be resilient and resistant to any negativity that comes, even from yourself. Think: why did I start this idea? Why am I here in the first place?
Well, you are here because you want to achieve something. You had this idea, you had this goal, so just go for it.
There will be obstacles, as I said, but you will overcome them because you are a very powerful person. You are great.
Really try using the seven steps – they are really good, and I’ve been using them. Once we talked about them, my clients started using them, and they see the progress.
Your goal may feel very overwhelming – ‘Oh God, I want to create another AI app or something.’ But once you break it down into smaller steps, it’s not that bad and doesn’t look scary. You will achieve it because you’ve got that vision which you want to achieve.
And try using those blocks I’ve just talked about. If they don’t work, they don’t work, but it doesn’t cost you anything apart from committing 25 minutes with a five-minute break.
That’s all from me. I hope you gained something from this webinar – it was a pleasure talking to you. If you have any questions, I will be delighted to answer them.
Caitriona: Thank you, Martyna. If anyone has any questions, please do pop them into the chat. In the meantime, I can get started with this question: how can business owners distinguish between tasks that feel urgent and those that will genuinely move their business forward?
Martyna: Sorry, can you repeat that question?
Caitriona: Sure. How can business owners distinguish between tasks that feel urgent and those that will genuinely move their business forward?
Martyna: Well, there will be tasks that are very urgent and need our attention right now, and there will be tasks that don’t need our attention immediately, and we just work on them. This is the process I was talking about – the process the business owner needs to take on and go through.
But when something pops up, just deal with it and make it your priority. Those goals that will move the business forward are the bigger ones, and this is the process. This is the runner’s road.
Caitriona: Thank you. Someone wanted the presentation full screen.
Martyna: I’m very sorry about not having [audio cuts off].
Caitriona: Don’t worry at all. We had a question here from Leo, who’s asking, how can you break that massive goal into smaller, actionable tasks?
Martyna: Again, put the goal on paper. Write down what you want to achieve and see how you can break it down into smaller actions.
For example, say you want to run a marathon, but you’ve been sitting on the sofa for the last 10 years. You’re not going to run the marathon by just getting up and going, ‘Whoop, I’m going.’
You need to make a plan with smaller tasks, so you start with baby steps and smaller achievements. You run for five minutes, then the next week you run for 10 minutes, then maybe you join a gym to make your body more fit.
You just need to figure out the smaller steps that will eventually take you to your finish line. That was the easiest example I could use.
Caitriona: Thank you. What practical strategies can help people minimise distractions and resist the temptation to switch between tasks?
Martyna: Well, like I said, the Pomodoro Technique is the easiest one you can use, and, honestly, try it. The 25-minute interval is the minimum you need to connect with your work.
Switch off your phone and make sure that nobody distracts you and there are no notifications on your phone or laptop. Just focus for 25 minutes – you can do it.
Then, in the five-minute break, you can check your notifications and reply to messages. When the break finishes, it’s back to your 25 minutes.
But you need to stick to it, obviously. You’ve got a beautiful, very powerful mind, and that mind will make things happen.
Caitriona: Thank you. We had a comment from Claudia in the chat, who says that they had to apply smaller steps too, as procrastination was a thing for them because of ADHD, and the calendar and to-do lists help.
Martyna: Yes, the calendar, the little steps and the to-do list are great. I really recommend them regardless of whether you have ADHD, and I think I’m a little bit on the spectrum myself. That’s why I really advocate for pen and paper.
Caitriona: Brilliant, thank you. In terms of the system, how can you adapt it when your day is unpredictable or filled with client meetings and urgent requests?
Martyna: Well, you prepare for your day. If you have a day full of meetings and something urgent pops up, you just make decisions.
What is your priority? What needs your urgent attention, where do you need to be, and who do you need to speak to? You just prioritise the most important thing for you to do, and then the less important, until you get to the point where there’s nothing important left.
It is up to you, but you will need to look at the bigger picture of your day and see where you are most needed.
Caitriona: Thank you. We’re coming towards the end of the session now, but if anyone has any final questions, do pop them in. I guess I’ll touch on the Pomodoro Technique: why is working in 25-minute blocks effective, and what makes this approach different from simply setting aside time to work?
Martyna: Well, like I said, you can set a timer. This technique talks about 25-minute intervals, but I’m not saying you can’t do 15 or 20 or 30 – do what works for you.
I think the most important thing about the technique is that you are completely focused on your task, rather than, ‘Oh, one email came in and I’m in the middle of another email. Okay, I’ll see what just came, and maybe I’ll answer this one.’ No.
You are just in your zone, working on one thing, but you can really adjust the time to your needs.
Caitriona: Thank you so much. We’ve come to the end of the session now, but thank you so much, Martyna, for your presentation.
Martyna: Thank you very much. It was my pleasure.
Caitriona: Thanks to everyone who joined us today. We’ll be sharing the recording and further resources in a follow-up email this afternoon. Thank you.
Unlock more on-demand sessions designed to help you sharpen your skills, grow your business and stay one step ahead. Find more Lunch and Learn webinars
