Americans are an innovative people. When we look at problems without solutions, we create them. When we see a market without a product, we build one. And when we can’t find a job, we create our own.

Entrepreneurship may sound like a novelty to some, but it’s a time-honored tradition here in the United States. With some 28 million small businesses in the U.S., according to statistics from Forbes, we wouldn’t have the plethora of jobs, purchasing options, and wonderful creativity we enjoy in 2016 without these entrepreneurs.

But is entrepreneurship healthy in 2016? Let’s do a pre-emptive State of the Union to find out how entrepreneurs are feeling in today’s U.S.

The Statistics: Entrepreneurship Peaking Once Again…

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics measures entrepreneurship with one key number: the number of business establishments less than one year old. By counting how many young businesses there are, we get a rough idea of how many entrepreneurs are currently at work in the economy.

What do the numbers tell us?

Despite a dip — for obvious reasons — peaking around 2008, the number of new businesses has ticked upward. While we’re still not quite at the all-time high of 2006’s (over 715K), 2015’s 679,072 is at least threatening the old record. That might seem disheartening to some. The idea that we still haven’t reached 2006 levels after a full decade will do that to you.

But try to remember where we once were. In 2010, Carl J. Schramm of the Kauffman Foundation kicked off the State of Entrepreneurship event at the National Press Club by declaring, “We are meeting at a grave moment.”

Six years later, no one is calling this a ‘grave moment’ for entrepreneurs. It’s not where we were, but it’s healthy progress — especially when you consider just how down in the dumps entrepreneurship really was less than a decade ago.

…But Are Millennials Really Starting More Businesses?

Entrepreneurship is often a result of the current generation of 40-and-under, including a wide swath of Millennials. Many of these Millennials are entrepreneurs, of course. But The Atlantic dubbed “The Myth of the Millennial Entrepreneur,” noting that Millennials are starting up new businesses at a rate lower than the last 25 years.

What’s going on here?

After all, didn’t the BLS statistics hint that entrepreneurship was back on the rise, nearing record levels once again? That’s true. But the BLS statistics also revealed the total number of new businesses, not the rate at which businesses are being started. As the population grows, one would expect new businesses to grow along with it.

According to John Lettieri, as quoted by the Atlantic: “Millennials are on track to be the least entrepreneurial generation in recent history.”

Yikes.

What we’re left with is a shrinking share of people under 30 who own their own business, according to the Wall Street Journal, which dubbed young entrepreneurs an endangered species.

The Atlantic cites problems with more debt — especially from student loans — and less risk-taking among Millennials. Although the Internet has opened our eyes to millennial-run enterprises across the globe, the fact is that there’s plenty more space for Millennials to create their own jobs and take their financial destiny into their own hands. And they’re not doing it.

What Does All This Mean for Aspiring Entrepreneurs?

There are two ways to interpret this data. On one hand, you might think that the lack of new entrepreneurship means there’s plenty of space available for innovative thinkers like yourself.

On the other hand, you might believe that the lack of entrepreneurship indicates that the economy isn’t all that…well, good.

But here’s the good news.

The national rates of entrepreneurship have absolutely nothing to do with whether you should start a business.

This is, after all, a big economy. There’s plenty of money to be made out there no matter what your industry. If you have the next great idea, chances are there’s a market for it somewhere.

In fact, when Entrepreneur listed the reasons you may want to consider starting a business, the national entrepreneurship statistics had very little to do with it.

More important:

• Your personal drive and ambition. If you have a great idea and a passion for business, the state of entrepreneurship in the U.S. isn’t going to weigh you down. In fact, few things likely will.

• Good ideas are always good ideas. If you have some fresh take on a product or service, there’s no reason that there wouldn’t be space for you in the marketplace.

• More and more people are working independently. Despite entrepreneurship statistics being what they are, the Harvard Business Review notes that an independent streak is very much alive, with independent work on the rise.

In fact, all of Entrepreneur’s advice on whether or not you should be an entrepreneur focused on you, your idea, and the traits that may make you a success as you start your own business. Statistics have very little to do with it.

Entrepreneurs Finding Confidence in a New World

However you feel about the election, it’s clear our country is about to enter a new period. Some are reacting to this new period with fear. Some are reacting to it with excitement.

But it boils down to this: you control your own reaction.

That means you can find confidence as an entrepreneur no matter what the landscape.

How? Stop focusing on your own doubts and start focusing on what you can contribute to make other peoples’ lives better. Business, after all, always boils down to helping people, and getting help in return.

In an interview with the Entrepreneur on Fire podcast, confidence coach Trish Blackwell said, “At some point you need to get over yourself and ask how you can serve people.”

The state of entrepreneurship in the U.S. might not be 100% back on track. But that’s no reason you have to follow suit.