When you look at successful people, they get a lot more done than other people can. Despite breathing the same air they breathe and having the same 24 hours a day, they get ahead in life. Some people might attribute this to luck or that successful people have special abilities that others don’t have.

Only a few top achievers have exceptional abilities but for the rest, it also comes down to their approach. I have observed over the years how they use 90-day cycles to achieve more than they could otherwise. Average people who aren’t aware of this phenomenon only achieve mediocre results at best.

Here are 5 reasons why 90-day cycles can help you realize your full potential:

1. Focused action

The first time I truly learned about the concept of 90-day plans was during my network marketing days. I was familiar with quarterly reviews at work but had never quite understood the significance. What I discovered in my network marketing business was that those who set clear 90-day goals won regularly.

What would have taken a year to achieve, would end up taking around 90 days to achieve. The psychology behind this is that giving yourself a shorter period to execute, forces you to focus. When you are clear about what you want to accomplish and you have the action plan to follow, success follows.

Of course, you still have to work that plan because it won’t work on it’s own. Even as I work on building my blog today, I’m reminded that consistent execution leads to success. At the time of this publication, my monthly website traffic is just over double what it was 90 days ago. Results like that only add fuel to my desire to keep going until I achieve my ultimate goals.

“Work ethic eliminates fear.” – Michael Jordan

2. Efficient use of time and resources

When you’re given or give yourself a shorter period to get something done, it leads to more efficiency. Some of the best entrepreneurs today are not those who started with everything they needed from the get-go. Many times they had to be creative in the use of their time and resources to get things done.

That kind of pressure brings out ideas that may not have been obvious before that. On the other hand, when you don’t feel that little bit of pressure it becomes easy to waste resources. This is often the case with those who have an employee mindset or that have no internal drive for success.

If you knew your life depended on you successfully executing certain tasks, you’d be more efficient with your resources. Take time to reflect on how you can make better use of the time and resources you have at your disposal. You’ll be amazed at how much more you can accomplish with the seemingly little that you have. If you’re faithful with what you have, you’ll attract more needed resources.

3. Stretching your faith

Amazing things tend to happen more outside of our comfort zones than they do in our comfort zones. Getting out of your comfort zone stretches your faith which is how the impossible becomes possible. Sometimes people wait on God to do miracles in their lives when God is waiting for them to step out. You will experience the miracle when you step out because God is already where you want to go.

In some cases, this requires you to give up the little that you have so that you can get the best. That fear of letting go keeps most people stuck and as a result, they fall short of their goals. There’s a lot of pressure when executing a 90-day plan which comes with many surprises.

Success is not as simple as going from point A to point B; it springs up many surprises along the way. When you encounter them don’t shrink back but move forward in faith. Not only will you find what you need, but it will also make you a better person in the process.

4. Breeds new ideas

Just as diamonds cannot be extracted without a certain amount of pressure, some things you won’t discover without pressure. Is it no wonder that some of the best enterprises in the world were born during challenging times? The pressure of achieving a goal in 90 days breeds ideas that can get the job done. That’s one of the reasons why successful people embrace challenges.

While some people may shy away from challenges, the top achievers know that there are discoveries to be made. This doesn’t necessarily mean that they love pressure but they understand that it may lead to breakthroughs. Some ideas certainly come when you’re in a quiet and reflective mode but others come when you’re under pressure.

You’ll find that there’s a difference in results between people without the same pressure to get results in 90 days. Without a sense of urgency, every day will be the same for 90 days straight and there’ll be no growth. The same tasks with a sense of urgency, lead to a lot more growth and innovations to get better results.

“All roads that lead to success have to pass through hard work boulevard at some point.” – Eric Thomas

5. Collapsed time frames

Focused action over 90 days collapses time frames. You will achieve your goals and acquire new skills faster than you might have over a year. Imagine what you could achieve in a year by approaching each quarter with the same level of focus. I think you can see the possibilities if you approach your life’s goals like that.

I’m starting at a new job just under 180 days since I started applying with a high level of focus. Before that, I’d send applications here and there without the necessary level of focus, but this time around it was different. However, some things happen when your preparation meets God’s timing and that was the case for me.

Think about the things you want to achieve in your life. Are there goals that you’ve put off indefinitely because you feel like they’re impossible to achieve? You may need to take time to think them through and look for ways to get them done. Identify what you can do with what you have as a starting point; the more you execute, the more possibilities you’ll begin to see to reach your ultimate goal.