I've been trying to point out that, at the macro level, the 30,000-foot level, things in the world are actually getting better. It's very hard to understand that and to feel it all. The news is bad. We're at war. Gasoline prices are going up. They say it's a hard time to be optimistic, but I've been trying to point out some ways that the world is getting better. I'll give you one more great example right after this.

For most of human history, reading and writing have been very rare skills. Education was limited to small groups, but over the last century, education systems around the world have improved dramatically. Today, global literacy rates are higher than at any point in history. Billions more people can read, learn, and participate in economic and civic life. The lesson is encouraging. Access to knowledge increases opportunities and makes the world better.

There is no doubt that these are difficult times to live in. We have the war in Iran, gas prices going crazy, and a possible recession. There is a lot to worry about. We all love to worry about the environment, and rightfully so. We have to keep our air and water clean, but we are always hearing that it's getting worse. I'll give you the reality in just a second.

Air quality regulations, cleaner engines, and improved energy sources have reduced pollution in most major cities around the world. While the challenges remain, measurable improvements are occurring. The lesson is very hopeful. When societies identify problems clearly, we have the ability to develop amazing solutions. The data is very clear. We are living in the cleanest environmental time in the last 1,000 years. The world is getting better.

News coverage understandably focuses on all of the bad: the conflict, the crime, the instability. When we see this constantly, day after day, it can feel as if the world is becoming a more dangerous place every year. But research gives us a different story. I'll tell you what it is right after this.

Across centuries, the overall rate of violence has declined significantly. War deaths as a percentage of the global population are lower than they have ever been. The lesson is surprising. Human society, despite setbacks like we are seeing now, has gradually become more stable and cooperative. And in the 1970s, crime was much worse than it is now. You have to be old enough to remember that. I am. It may be hard to believe, but we are living in one of the least violent times in human history.

These are difficult times all around. We are at war again. There are sleeper cells. They tell us they are going to attack in the middle of the night. Gas prices are soaring. We could be in another recession. It's just a hard time, isn't it? So I thought that this week, I would take a step back, look at things from a 30,000-foot level, and give us a sense of the macro. It's actually pretty encouraging. I'll share why in just a second.

In the last three decades, extreme poverty has gone down by as much as 90%. Over the last several decades, hundreds of millions of people have moved out of extreme poverty and into a life where they are actually having the bare necessities. It's not a life of luxury, but at least they have the bare necessities. The lesson is hopeful. Human progress often happens gradually, but the results do accumulate over time, and the world is getting better.

My 15-year-old and I were in the car listening to the radio, and he asked, "Dad, is it always this bad? Is the world always like this?" No, it's not, and we have to keep that in mind. These are difficult times, absolutely no doubt. The war, the gasoline prices, the insecurity, and the lack of knowing what's going to happen, it's a challenging time. However, there is some good news, and I'll share it with you just after this.

Historically, food production has struggled to keep up with demand. However, modern agriculture is becoming much more efficient, and we have enough food to feed everyone. We don't have the greatest distribution system, and that's actually a bigger problem, but we have improved seeds, precision farming, data analysis, and better water management, and farmers can now produce more food using fewer resources.

Human attention naturally gravitates toward problems in modern life. We have a constant focus on problems and how they overshadow all of the positive experiences in our life. We do this to our own detriment. You must learn to get mentally stronger by focusing on the right things and having the right response and the right attitude. I will give my last tip of the week right after this.

When we focus on how to become mentally stronger, we must also practice gratitude. Gratitude restores balance regularly. Recognizing what is working well changes how the mind interprets daily events. If you are happy for the good things and do not focus on the bad things, your mental strength will increase. Noticing and appreciating the good that already exists is the key to happiness and mental strength.

This week, we are talking about becoming mentally stronger, the idea of neuroplasticity, neuro brain plasticity, plastic. Yes, our brains can change, become stronger over time. It is an amazing part of the brain, something that science is just now coming to terms with. I want to talk about how we can use this to become mentally stronger in our daily lives. I'll give you an example and a tip right after this.

We can become mentally stronger from learning from our setbacks. That's right. Setbacks happen to all of us. It is unpleasant, but we have to learn how to deal with it. View a setback as data, information on how you are leading your life. Mentally strong individuals treat setbacks as a way of learning to improve. They examine what happened and adjust their approach in the future. Learn from your setbacks.

Bad things happen to all of us. Sometimes events happen that we cannot control. Plans change. Mistakes occur. Unexpected challenges pop up. Our boss yells at us for absolutely no reason. All of these events may be unavoidable. However, you can control your response. I want to give you a trick in just a second that will make you better at controlling your reactions. I will be back in just a second with that tip.

You can get mentally stronger by controlling your reactions. Mental strength appears in the pause between the event and your reaction. Please take a moment to think before responding. Your outcome will be much better when reactions become thoughtful instead of emotional and automatic. You will have a much better, happier outcome without as much fighting. Control your emotions with a quick breath, and stop and think.

This week, I want to talk about how to become mentally stronger. Our mental strength is not dramatic. It is something that grows over time through repeated small habits. Our small daily habits are what end up controlling what we think about and how we act. In just a second, I will give you one example of how to become mentally stronger by accepting certain things right after this.

You become mentally stronger when you accept that discomfort is part of life. We do not like having difficult conversations with our boss or with our spouse. We certainly do not like doing our taxes or other things that make us tense. Mental strength develops when you face that uncertainty directly. Each time you move forward with a new difficult situation, you become more confident. Courage grows not from eliminating fear, but from acting on it.

One of my favorite words in the entire world is neuroplasticity, neuro meaning brain and plasticity meaning plastic. The idea that our brain can change and can learn over the period of our lifetime is such a cool idea. So this week, I want to talk about how we can get mentally stronger through some of our habits. I will start with an example right after this.

One of the best ways to become mentally stronger is to control your focus. That's right, not think about certain things. Many people get overwhelmed because their problems seem so big, but perhaps the problem is that their attention is divided among too many things. Mental strength depends on focus, so you should choose what you think about. The lesson is very practical. When you focus on what you can influence, you are much happier.