| Turn on the news and you will hear endless stories about war, terrorism, crime, corruption, inequality, storms, fires, floods, pollution, climate change, poverty, violence, incivility, political polarization, rising debt, and more. These issues are real. And they are troubling. But they are not the whole story. Given the amazing advances we have seen in technology, medicine, longevity, and living standards, this is still - objectively - the greatest time in history to be alive. People in the West today are living longer, healthier, safer, richer, freer lives than ever before. That's why I invite readers to become data-based optimists and adopt what I call a Prosperity Mindset. That means: - You understand the habits and choices that allowed tens of millions of ordinary Americans to become wealthy.
- You recognize the major trends - historical, political, cultural, technological, and financial - that are making things better for most people in most places in most ways.
- Based on these trends, you maintain a rational optimism about the future, especially when the nation or the world experiences short-term setbacks, as we always do from time to time.
- You have a coherent plan that gives you a high probability of achieving your most important financial goals.
- And you are committed to following through to achieve them.
This is how people achieve their dreams, financial or otherwise. First, by realizing that it's possible. Then by adopting the habits and making the choices that make them a reality. I'm writing a book about the American Dream right now and, overwhelmingly, the people I speak with who don't believe in it all seem to feel the same way: stuck. They aren't getting ahead, and they don't know what to do about it. They are despairing. To take but one example, home prices today are high, mortgage rates are twice what they were a few years ago, and many potential borrowers have credit issues that make buying a house impossible. Or so they believe. I bought my first house with no money (even for a down payment), no credit history, and no qualifying for a mortgage. The seller was fully satisfied and so was I. In fact, I sold the home for a tidy profit five years later and bought the next house the same way. And in my next column, I'll explain how. Good investing, Alex | 
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