Graham Michael Byers Lists 3 Reasons Why Mental Discipline Is Essential for Success

For the average person, an astounding 20 to 25% of the body’s energy will go towards the brain and its processes while in rest. While the brain only makes up a small percent of one’s total body mass, it’s so capable of eating up energy that the oft-cited caloric expenditure of master chess players can burn as much as 6000 calories in a single day despite barely moving, according to ESPN. The human brain holds tremendous power. Those looking to succeed in business need to utilize every single ounce of it. Graham Michael Byers, an author, and entrepreneur, explains why mental discipline (the ability to focus one’s mental resources) is so important for success.

Fighting Against the Odds from the Git-Go

“You will fail, and you might fail often. [It’s] something entrepreneurs better get used to – otherwise they’ll have a tough time ahead and they’ll miss out on many opportunities to learn,” says Graham Michael Byers.

Failure is common when it comes to entrepreneurship. In fact, among small businesses, the failure rate at the five-year mark is around 50%, according to Fundera. By year ten, that number jumps to 70%. To succeed, entrepreneurs might tap into their mental discipline and use it to prop themselves up while fighting against the odds.

Boundless Distractions

Focus and dedication are essential for anyone embarking on an entrepreneurial endeavor. It is crucial to have enough of both when starting, especially for young entrepreneurs.

“There [will] be friends wanting to hang out,” explains Graham Michael Byers. “There [will] be a sea of content on Netflix waiting for you, and all those social media posts, and many other things that people usually waste seemingly small chunks of time on.”

But as Buyers points out, those small chunks add up to too much time wasted. Wasted time and success don’t mix well together. There isn’t a consensus on how much time one must invest to reach success, and stories of 100-hour weeks being pulled by already successful individuals are not uncommon. Achieving such dedication to one’s work requires a great deal of mental discipline.

Count On the Unexpected

Planning for the unexpected is crucial for businesses. Entrepreneurs should have contingency plans, room to maneuver, and the ability to stay calm and collected when something goes wrong. According to Byers, those bumps in the road are where mental discipline kicks in. “Entrepreneurs need to be mentally ready to lose money and have things not go their way,” he says.

Often enough, entrepreneurship is about making the most in difficult situations. When the stakes are high, mental discipline might be everything that’s standing between a business crashing, or soaring to new success. “It’s important to not get emotional about things,” says Graham Michael Byers, before adding, “it doesn’t mean [you can’t] have feelings and be a robot, but [you need to] have control over emotions. You need mental discipline for that.”