We are the number one economy in the world, and we ought to

The words of Donald Evans, “We are the number one economy in the world, and we ought to continue to pursue those kinds of policies that ensure that we maintain that position, like innovation and like technology and like education and like just research and development and discovery,” resound as both a celebration and a charge. They declare the triumph of a nation that has reached the summit of economic might, yet also warn that such a summit is not permanent unless nourished by vision and perseverance. His words remind us that greatness is not sustained by pride alone, but by innovation, by technology, by education, and by the sacred pursuit of discovery.

The origin of this wisdom lies in the early years of the twenty-first century, when Evans, serving as U.S. Secretary of Commerce, spoke of the necessity to strengthen America’s role as an economic leader. In his call we hear echoes of the spirit that guided the nation through earlier ages—when farmers turned wilderness into harvest, when inventors forged steel and railroads, when pioneers of science lit lamps of progress that guided the world. Evans reminds us that leadership must be renewed each generation, lest it wither. For without continued striving, the fire of progress dims, and the mantle of leadership passes to another.

History bears witness to this truth. Consider the fate of Great Britain at the height of the Industrial Revolution. Once, she was the workshop of the world, her factories, inventions, and fleets unmatched. But as new nations rose, Britain’s dominance waned, not through lack of greatness, but through failure to continually invest in education and innovation. The lesson is stark: economic supremacy is not a crown bestowed forever—it is a torch that must be carried with vigilance, lest it fall to the ground and be taken up by another hand.

The United States, too, has known this path of vigilance. The Apollo program of the 1960s stands as a monument to what happens when a people unite research and discovery with national purpose. In less than a decade, a dream turned into a giant leap for mankind. That victory was not only for science but for the economy, for it gave rise to new industries, new technologies, and a culture of possibility. Evans’s words call us back to that spirit of daring, reminding us that it is in the soil of research and education that future harvests of prosperity are grown.

Yet his message carries not only a national but a universal truth. Every community, every family, every individual can apply this wisdom. To maintain strength in life—whether in business, in art, or in spirit—one must constantly learn, adapt, and create. To rest only on past victories is to invite decline. But to pursue discovery with humility and determination is to remain alive, vibrant, and enduring. The policies of a nation mirror the habits of a person: both must choose between stagnation and growth.

The lesson, then, is clear: honor the past, but do not dwell in it. Build upon it by investing in the future—educate yourself and others, nurture the seeds of invention, support those who dare to research, and celebrate those who discover. Do not fear change, for it is the forge of destiny. Nations and individuals alike must understand that greatness is not an inheritance—it is a discipline.

Practical action lies at hand. Parents, invest in the education of your children. Workers, embrace the new tools of your craft. Leaders, support innovation not for the sake of pride, but for the good of all. And every soul, in whatever measure possible, must remain a student of life, never ceasing to seek wisdom and to kindle the flame of curiosity. For the prosperity of tomorrow is sown in the diligence of today.

Thus let Donald Evans’s words be remembered: a great economy, like a great life, is sustained not by complacency but by continual striving. May we teach future generations that true strength lies not in resting at the summit, but in climbing ever higher—through learning, through invention, and through discovery—so that the light of progress never fades, but burns as a beacon for all humanity.