The world is getting better on many critical fronts (see all the evidence below in this blog!).
But many of us can’t see this good news because we are constantly bombarded by all of the negative news online, on TV, and in newspapers.
So why are we fed “Negative/Crisis News” 24/7 on every device we own?
Humanity evolved on the savannas of Africa over the last 5 million years, surrounded by a world of severe and immediate danger.
To deal with this constant presence of danger, our brains evolved an ancient piece of the temporal lobe called the amygdala, which scans everything we see and hear for signs of danger. And when it senses danger, it puts us on *red alert.*
Because of our amygdala, we pay 10x more attention to negative news than to positive news.
And for that reason, every news source is putting out 10x more negative stories than positive. It’s purely a matter of marketing... capturing our attention = ad revenue.
“If it bleeds, it leads” is the saying. Since every TV news show’s job is to deliver your eyes to their advertisers, negative stories reign. And we remain glued to the programming.
Do this experiment: Pick up your newspaper (if you receive one, I don’t) and compare the ratio of negative to positive stories. It’s at least 10-to-1.
Last week, I discussed the benefits of an Abundance Mindset. Today, we’re going to look at the *data-driven optimism* that comes from the overwhelming evidence as exponential technologies improve access to renewable energy, reduce childhood mortality, and reduce global poverty, just to name a few.
There is NO DOUBT that you’ll get pushback from friends and family as you talk about a hopeful and abundant future… But that’s okay, show them the data below.
My mission is to inspire you, and to provide you with a hopeful, compelling, and abundant vision of the future.
It’s important for me to point out up front that the world is improving because of exponential technologies -- not because we as humans are getting smarter or because politicians are becoming more capable.
All the improvements below are arguably a result of the continuous improvement of exponential technologies and their ability to democratize, demonetize, and dematerialize access to products and services for the 8 billion people on Earth.
Let’s dive in…
We’re Living Longer & Child Mortality Rates are Falling
Life expectancy continues to climb. As you can see in the below chart, global life expectancy has been rising steadily since the turn of the 20th century, and has increased nearly 3 years in the last decade alone.
It’s now 72.6 years old, compared to life expectancy just a century ago when most people didn’t make it to 40.
Perhaps more important than longevity is the dramatic decline in child mortality.
From 1990 to 2010, child mortality decreased by over 40%. And in the last decade, it fell a further 26%. We can expect this trend to continue due to advances in technology.
We’re More Connected Than Ever Before
Today, nearly 60% of the world’s population has access to the internet.
We passed the 50% milestone in 2018 and the trend is only accelerating. With such rapid progress, internet access may soon become a universal human right.
Increased Access to Renewable Energy
More people have access to reliable electricity today than at any point in history.
According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), 90% of the world’s population now has access to electricity. That means over a billion people have gained access in the last decade.
Rapid Growth of Solar & Wind Energy
Humanity’s two major renewable energy sources have seen massive growth in the last decade. Solar energy generation increased twenty-fold from 2010 to 2019.
During that same period, renewable energy generated by wind increased three-fold to 1,430 gigawatts.
Extreme Poverty is Declining
In the last ten years, we have reduced global extreme poverty by nearly half to 9.3% in 2020.
If it weren’t for COVID-19, that number would be even lower. For example, the World Bank estimates that if the pandemic hadn’t ravaged the world economy, the global extreme poverty rate in 2020 would be 7.9%.
I mentioned at the beginning of this blog that exponential technologies are the driving force behind many of the improvements we see.
The good news is that those technologies are themselves increasing rapidly, both in terms of sophistication and adoption.
This trend of accelerating technological change not only provides endless opportunities for ambitious and energetic entrepreneurs. It also leads us to the compelling, hopeful, and abundant future that I know is possible.
Join Me at Abundance 360
If understanding how to use exponential technologies to transform your business and create a world of abundance is something you desire, then consider joining my Abundance 360 Mastermind.
Every year, my team and I select a group of 360 entrepreneurs and CEOs to coach over the course of a year-long program. A360 starts each January with a live event and continues every two months with Implementation Workshops, in which I personally coach members in small groups over Zoom. (In 2021, you have a choice of live “in-person” or “virtual” participation. See the A360 website for more info.)
My mission is to help A360 members identify their massively transformative purpose, select their moonshot, and hone an Abundance, Exponential, and Longevity Mindset. Together we will actively select and reinforce your preferred mindsets.
To learn more and apply, visit abundance360.com.
Know someone who would benefit from getting Abundance Insider? Send them to this link to sign up.
P.S. I've just released a podcast with my dear friend Dan Sullivan called Exponential Wisdom. Our conversations focus on the exponential technologies creating abundance, the human-technology collaboration, and entrepreneurship. Head here to listen and subscribe.
