The final characteristic featured in this column is the regenerative mindset. As highlighted by the Thrive Canvas, joyfulness is an imperative in tying together the rest of the qualities; agility, inclusivity and abundance.

In this article, Good Life X explores what makes a business leader or entrepreneur align with regenerative thinking with a connection to a higher purpose.

Where does one find their joy? Some may describe it as intrinsic, while others extrinsic. Does it depend on others? Or can it be found within? Is what makes us happy the key to unlocking our purpose? These questions are valid points to contemplate on, as the world flies by at speed, and we never truly stop to ponder.

An academic may find their joy in learning, a naturalist in the open air, a nurse in the gratitude of the healed. One considers their source of joy a guiding light in the realm of possibilities.

In the regenerative sense, finding joy in what you do enables a mindset shift. Knowing what your purpose is allows individuals to engage with the world from a place of wholeness and connection, rather than depletion or disconnection.

It is exactly what the world needs in a time where one sees more skyscrapers than fireflies.

Good Life X, an innovation and development catalyst, positioned to steer Sri Lanka to become a beacon of light in South Asia, believes that a business leader or employee knowing the purpose of their work is an imperative to unlocking a regenerative mindset.

Coupled with the three other elements, finding joy in what you do enables a person to think further than themselves. Going further than the Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (McLeod, 2007), the regenerative mindset fosters genuine synchrony with wanting to do more and be better, for reasons outside of your benefit.

Being joyful allows you to be present and aware, feel in sync with your inner self, respond to situations and adapt with authenticity, and come from a place of reflection and not reaction.

Knowing that you are in the right space and place brings a defining colour of knowing what is important to you, and while it may shift or change in time, it still stands true to making you joyful. It may be dramatic, slow-paced, fast-changing, revolutionary, or just a step in the right direction, yet the most vital aspect is that it brings you joy.

Taking steps to find your purpose may bring discouragement from those who don’t see the world the way you do, yet it is vital to stay on the path when the alternative is being lost.

In the example of Yvon Chouinard (Forbes, 2022), he built Patagonia with the intention of creating sports equipment and restoring the Earth. His passion? Rock-climbing.

Chouinard (Patagonia, 2022) describes his move as “going purpose” rather than “going public”. His actions make it clear that what makes his joy as a businessman is not the money, but the impact it could have.

Chouinard’s famous statement in renouncing his status as a billionaire and transferring the ownership of his company towards two organisations that will protect the company and defend nature is bold, bright, and true to his values.

Take the instance of the founder of Girls Who Code and Moms First; Reshma Saujani first worked as an attorney and ran for Congress, which then led her to experience first-hand the gender gap in computing lessons (ReshmaSaujani.com).

This ignited a sense of purpose within her, in empowering young girls and mothers to claim their place in society and the economy. Saujani’s work through Girls Who Code has reached hundreds of thousands of young women, addressing exclusion with inclusion in the tech fields with bold and brave strategies.

She also built structural support for mothers through Moms First, which was driven through the dire circumstances faced during the pandemic (Moms First, 2022). She is a great example of how immense impact can be made with a step in the right direction, through unlocking greater and deeper purpose.

In an example closer to home, Emma de Silva, a first-generation Sri Lankan-American, returned to her homeland driven by a deep desire to find purpose and contribute meaningfully to Sri Lanka’s development.

Her journey led her to Good Life X in 2021, where she found alignment with a mission close to her heart, regenerating the island’s natural resources and cultivating an ecosystem that nurtures innovation and growth.

Since then, Emma has been a key figure at GLX, bringing visionary perspectives, extensive networks, and a profound commitment to driving impactful change. Her appointment as CEO this year positions her perfectly to guide GLX into its next transformative phase.

Thus concludes our final article on the four characteristics of a regenerative mindset, which we at Good Life X believe is a paradigm shift any organisation or individual must foster to ensure its longevity in challenging times.

Crafting a regenerative mindset is the first approach in enabling positive change, sending a ripple effect into the ecosystem you operate in, a changed mind is a changed attitude, lending to a changed environment and a better tomorrow.

(The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect those of this publication.)