Why do you think 4 out of 5 businesses fail and what are you doing to avoid joining the majority?

I'm new and still in my first business. I am 26 months into my mobile detailing business.

Given I haven't shut down my business, I can't speak to why they close.  But, I think about shutting it down all the time, every day in fact.

What I can speak to is what I've done to avoid closing down. But first, a story I heard online. 

This guy grew up watching his dad as a major alcoholic.  Day in and day out, he watched his dad drink and all the stress it caused. But one day, when he grew up and moved out, his dad got sober. Then a year or two later, he was hanging out watching TV with his dad. He turned to his dad and asked, "Hey dad, do you think you'll be sober forever". Looking at his son, his dad said "I don't know about forever. But, I know I'll be sober for at least today".

I like to think of this story whenever I deal with any challenge that takes a long time to accomplish. Considering how many businesses don't make it past the first year even. Or, how the Lindy Effect states that something that has been around for a while is more likely to be around for longer. I set my short term goals to make it just to the 2 year mark and still be in business. When it's especially difficult, I brake that goal down to even just today.  I don't know if I'll still be in business in 10 years, but I'll at least stay in business for today. 

So, what's kept me going is simplifying my goal down to "just stay in business for today", then doing whatever it takes to make it just another day.