The Last Quarter Push: Why the Last 100 Days of 2025 Define Your Future

“There are less than four months left in 2025. It may as well be New Year’s Eve. The question is—what will you do with the time?”

The Psychology of the Final Stretch

Every year, as the calendar approaches its end, something fascinating happens in the human brain: urgency sharpens our focus. Behavioral scientists call this the “fresh start effect” (Dai, Milkman & Riis, 2014). Traditionally, it shows up at the beginning of the year—resolutions, gym memberships, new planners—but the same mental reset happens when we near an endpoint.

When people believe they’re running out of time, they act with intensity. Marathon runners sprint in the last mile. Students cram the night before an exam. Sales teams make December their most productive month. The end acts as a psychological accelerator.

Now, here we are in September 2025. The year is 75% finished. For some, it’s a time to coast. To blame distractions, write off missed goals, and promise “next year will be different.”

But the winners—the peak performers, entrepreneurs, creators, leaders—see these last months differently. They know:

• The final quarter sets the tone for the next one. Momentum compounds. A powerful Q4 isn’t just about finishing strong—it launches you into 2026 like a slingshot.

• Deadlines create clarity. When time is short, priorities sharpen. You see what truly matters.

• Discipline in the dark months separates the best from the rest. While the world is winding down for the holidays, you can be leveling up.

This isn’t just theory—it’s a decision.

The Illusion of “Next Year”

We all know the story: “I’ll start in January.”

But the reality is stark: 80% of New Year’s resolutions fail by February (University of Scranton, 2016). Why? Because waiting until the calendar turns is procrastination disguised as planning.

What if instead, you treated these next four months as your personal New Year’s Eve countdown? Imagine arriving on January 1, 2026, not with a list of promises—but with momentum already in motion.

Think of it like this:

• If you want to launch a business, don’t plan for Q1—start laying the bricks now.

• If you want to change your health, don’t wait for a resolution—let November and December be your training ground.

• If you want deeper relationships, don’t wait for family gatherings—make the calls today.

Time left: about 100 days. Enough to lose 15 pounds. Enough to publish a book draft. Enough to 10X your sales pipeline. Enough to change the trajectory of your entire year.

The Quarter that Creates Champions

Sports teams know it. The 4th quarter decides everything.

Take Michael Jordan, who built his reputation as a “closer” by dominating the final minutes of games. Or Serena Williams, who turned entire matches around in the last few sets. They understood that the finish isn’t just about endurance—it’s about identity.

Are you the kind of person who fades out when others relax, or the kind who digs deep, finds another gear, and redefines what’s possible?

Entrepreneurship works the same way. Consider how Jeff Bezos built Amazon: his legendary “Day 1” philosophy wasn’t about beginnings—it was about urgency at all times. He famously wrote in his shareholder letter: “Day 2 is stasis. Followed by irrelevance. Followed by excruciating, painful decline. Followed by death. And that is why it is always Day 1.”

In other words: every quarter is the last quarter. Every moment counts.

Research-Backed Strategies to Dominate the Final Quarter

So how do you actually take these final months and make them transformational? Let’s ground this inspiration in evidence and actionable steps.

1. Set One “Keystone Goal”

Research from Stanford psychologist BJ Fogg shows that focusing on one meaningful behavior can trigger a cascade of other positive changes. Call it the “keystone habit.”

Ask yourself: If I only achieved one thing in the next 100 days, what would make the biggest difference in my life or business?

• If it’s health: commit to 30 minutes of movement daily.

• If it’s business: close three new clients before December 31.

• If it’s personal: write 500 words a day toward your book.

Don’t scatter. Anchor.

2. Implement the “Slight Edge” Daily

Jeff Olson’s concept in The Slight Edge is simple: small actions, consistently applied, compound into extraordinary results.

If you’re 100 days away from 2026:

• 100 workouts = a transformed body.

• 100 sales calls = a bigger pipeline than the last three quarters combined.

• 100 journal entries = clarity you’ve never had before.

One day can change your life. One hundred days will.

3. Engineer Accountability

A 2019 study in the Journal of Applied Psychology found that people are 65% more likely to achieve goals when they share them with an accountability partner—and 95% more likely if they have regular check-ins.

Who will you report to? A coach, a friend, a mastermind group, even a LinkedIn post. Public pressure drives private performance.

4. Use the “Holiday Window” as Your Secret Weapon

Here’s the overlooked advantage: between November and December, the majority of people slow down. They take long weekends, binge-watch, check out mentally.

If you lean in while others lean back, you create a separation. While they wait for “next year,” you’re building one.

Example: While competitors are holiday coasting, you can launch that campaign, finish that certification, write that pitch deck. By January, you’re not starting—you’re already sprinting.

5. Visualize New Year’s Eve Now

Close your eyes and picture it: it’s December 31, 2025. You’re raising a glass with friends, family, maybe your team. The fireworks start. Someone asks: “How was your year?”

What story will you tell?

Will you say: “It was tough, I slowed down, but maybe next year…”Or will you say: “I decided to make the final stretch my strongest yet. I finished my year in victory mode. I’m entering 2026 already ahead.”

Psychologists call this “mental contrasting” (Gabriele Oettingen, NYU)—imagining both the desired outcome and the obstacles creates a powerful drive to act.

Case Study: Real-World Turnarounds in 100 Days

• Sales: A mid-size tech company added 22% to their revenue in Q4 2023 by doubling down on outreach when competitors cut back for the holidays. That quarter alone carried their entire fiscal year.

• Fitness: A friend of mine committed to walking 10,000 steps daily from September 15 through December 31, 2022. By New Year’s, she had lost 20 pounds—not by resolution, but by execution.

• Writing: National Novel Writing Month happens every November. Every year, thousands of authors finish 50,000-word drafts in just 30 days. Proof: transformation can happen fast.

The evidence is overwhelming: you don’t need more time. You need focused time.

LIVEBIG: The Movement of Urgency and Expansion

At The LIVEBIG Project, the mantra has always been: “Let’s make it happen.” Not tomorrow, not someday—now.

The truth is, these final months are not about cramming tasks or burning out. They’re about expanding into the version of yourself that no longer negotiates with fear, laziness, or delay.

When others coast, you accelerate. When others wait, you act. When others shrink, you

LIVEBIG.

Action Plan: Your Final Quarter Blueprint

Here’s a simple framework to start today:

1. Pick Your Keystone Goal – Write it down, make it non-negotiable.

2. Break It Into Daily Actions – Define the “Slight Edge” habits (minimum 20 minutes/day).

3. Engineer Accountability – Choose one person/system to hold you responsible.

4. Leverage the Holiday Advantage – Block time on your calendar now for execution when others check out.

5. Visualize Your Year-End Victory – Each morning, imagine the story you want to tell on December 31.

   
   

Final Word: The Last Mile Mentality

Life is not measured by beginnings alone. It’s measured by how you finish.

2025 is almost done. You can treat these last months as dead time, or you can treat them as the launchpad of your life.

The clock is ticking. The quarter is here. The choice is yours.

When the fireworks rise this New Year’s Eve, will you already be living the life you promised yourself—or still waiting for another January to save you?

It’s time to LIVEBIG

There are less than 4 months left in 2025. It may as well be New Year's Eve. As we wind down the quarter, what are you doing to make the next one your BEST one yet? This time of year while others slow down, we speed up.

LIVEBIG 🌎 Let's make it happen!