The structures created coming out of the second world war have supported a life of convenience and technological wonder for almost 100 years.

Poverty, inequity, inequality have been eased across the planet throughout that time.  Not that we have solved these problems, but as with all of human history, we are forever moving upward.  What is considered poverty, inequity and inequality in most countries today is vastly improved and impacts less percentage of the worlds population than it did 300 years ago.

But this trend is long and is made up of cycles so that when you look at a snapshot in time you don't necessarily see the advancement overall.  It is very much like looking at a financial chart.  The story changes depending on the view and time frame you select.

However, regardless of the long-term trajectory, it is in the volatility of the short-term that we must live and survive.  The challenges of today can feel overwhelming, but the challenges are really no different than they ever were, we are just more aware of them from a global perspective.

And what we believe a global perspective is, is not much different from what a person in the 13th century felt was a global perspective when dealing with the Black Plague and the Christian inquisitions in the west, or the invasions of the Mongols in the east.

The difference today is that we have the education, access to knowledge and history, and technology to become actively engaged in creating the future we want.  We don't need to sit back and be the victims of our time.  
It is time for us all to return to first principles in personal accountability...

    Stand up for personal liberty and freedom to become informed and have a voice.
    Build communities based on personal trust and support through love, not through government directed reallocation of resources that fits their own whims and greed and public/private partnerships.
    Create stability through embracing a long-term approach with patience and intention that results in personal sustainability.  
    Accept personal responsibility for creating a financial and social foundation that supports yourself and others.
    Engage in independent action to build grass roots movements that always prevail when given enough time and commitment.  But they must start.  And they start with US.

I began investing because I wanted to protect myself and my family from the crisis that I saw coming over the past 40 years.  What I've learned is that by investing with intention and wisdom, I don't only protect my own but I also have a voice in creating a world that can protect others as well.

Yes, there will be a crisis and we will not be able to identify all the ways it can impact us.

Yes, no one will come through unscathed, but you can be mentally prepared.

Yes, we don't have to be a victim to the outcome, we can shape the world that is created.

That is the power of investing - the amount doesn't matter, just the intention applied with wisdom can make the difference.  Just as a constant dripping of water can forge a stream, intentional investing can create the world we want.  

But it only happens when first principles in personal accountability are applied.