The Instruction Cycle is the process by which a computer executes instructions from a program. It consists of several stages: fetching the instruction from memory, decoding it to understand what action is required, executing the instruction, and then storing the result. This cycle repeats continuously as the computer processes tasks. Each stage of the instruction cycle is crucial for the overall performance of the computer. The speed and efficiency of the cycle can affect how quickly programs run. Modern processors often use techniques like pipelining to improve the instruction cycle, allowing multiple instructions to be processed simultaneously, enhancing overall performance.