| We Don't Hear About the Wins While the media focuses on impending doom, what's rarely acknowledged is humanity's track record of solving major global challenges. Take extreme poverty. For most of mankind's history, nearly everybody lived in dire poverty - defined today as earning less than $2.15 per day. In 1990, that included 2 billion people. Currently, it's down to 650 million - a two-thirds reduction in just over three decades. Even more impressive, the global population has increased by nearly 3 billion people in that time, meaning the percentage of people in extreme poverty has plummeted. In 1990, 38% of the world's population lived in extreme poverty. Today? Just 8.6% - a decline of nearly 80%. This should be headlining news! Every single day, 130,000 fewer people live in extreme poverty than the day before. Yet, how often do you hear that? A Perspective Shift This isn't to downplay global challenges. Suffering still exists, and urgent problems demand attention. But when we take a step back, the trajectory is clear - we are solving problems once thought insurmountable. If you have the ability to make a positive impact, lean into it. That's what leaders like Norman Borlaug have done for centuries. And it's working. So when you hear today's prophets of doom, remember the catastrophes that weren't. Catastrophic thinking weakens us. It saps energy, undermines resilience, and makes us feel powerless. But a historical perspective - one that acknowledges mankind's ability to overcome - creates strength. It provides a solid foundation from which to tackle the next big challenge. The media won't tell you this. Politicians won't tell you this. But the facts remain... We are solving the problems that once defined human existence. Don't let fear dictate your future. Be well, Joel | 
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