Rethinking Success in Regenerative Culture

Not Every Acorn is meant to become an Oak

In the field of regenerative culture, there is a beautiful and inspiring ethos of fostering life, growth, and thriving ecosystems. Yet even within this context, a paradox emerges: not every good idea, initiative, or project is meant to flourish. Just as not every acorn becomes a mighty oak tree, not every effort or endeavour within the regenerative movement will achieve its intended success. And perhaps, that is precisely the point.

The Myth of Individual Success

Despite the collective and ecological principles underpinning regenerative culture, remnants of the individualistic, success-driven mindset often linger. Many of us are subtly (or not so subtly) influenced by a heroic, almost narcissistic paradigm that suggests our initiatives should succeed if they are worthy enough, if we work hard enough, or if the conditions are just right.

But ecosystems don’t function like that. In a forest, not all acorns sprout. Of those that do, only a fraction survive long enough to become saplings, let alone mature oaks. The rest are broken down, becoming the compost that nourishes the soil, feeds the fungi, and supports the thriving of others. Their purpose is no less important, but it is fundamentally different from what we might romantically imagine as “success.”

This tension—between the regenerative ethos and the lingering pull of individualism—can lead to profound inner and outer conflict. Nobody wants to be part of the compost. Few of us actively embrace the idea of contributing to a thriving ecosystem by becoming the dying matter that supports others. Even in spaces that champion regeneration, there is often an implicit bias towards the heroic narrative of individual achievement.

Embracing the Ecosystemic Perspective

To truly serve the thriving of an ecosystem, whether that ecosystem is natural, organisational, or cultural, we must adopt a different attitude towards the inevitable dying of some of our hopes, expectations, and dreams of success. Sometimes, the most regenerative act is to let go: to allow an initiative to stagnate or fade away, recognising its contribution as part of the larger cycle.

This perspective invites humility and a deep trust in the wisdom of the system. Just as a forest doesn’t waste energy lamenting fallen leaves or unsprouted seeds, we, too, can learn to release our attachment to outcomes and trust that even our perceived “failures” have their place in the greater whole.

The Internal Work of Letting Go

Letting go of personal ambitions and attachments is rarely easy. It often requires confronting the parts of ourselves that equate worth with achievement or that fear irrelevance and invisibility. The Internal Family Systems (IFS) model offers a helpful framework for navigating these inner dynamics.

Within IFS, we can recognise the parts of ourselves that drive us to hold on:

• The Ambitious Part: This part may feel an urgency to succeed, believing that failure means we’ve wasted time, energy, or resources.

• The Fearful Part: This part might resist letting go, fearing loss of identity or purpose if the initiative ends.

• The Judging Part: This part could be critical, insisting that success is the only measure of value.

When these parts dominate, we may cling to initiatives long past their natural lifespan, pouring energy into projects that no longer serve the ecosystem’s thriving. By contrast, when we lead from the open, adaptive Self—a place of grounded clarity and compassion—we can make decisions that honour the broader system.

Lessons from the Acorn

The metaphor of the acorn teaches us that life is cyclical, not linear. An acorn’s purpose is not solely to grow into a tree but to play its role in a complex, interconnected web of life. Sometimes, that role is to grow. Sometimes, it is to nourish. Both are vital.

For leaders and practitioners in the regenerative movement, this means embracing a broader definition of success. It means cultivating the courage to let go, the humility to embrace composting as an essential part of the process, and the wisdom to recognise that true service to life often requires surrendering our personal narratives of achievement.

Towards a New Paradigm

What might the regenerative culture field look like if we fully embraced this perspective? Imagine a community where the demise of an initiative is not seen as a failure but as a necessary part of the ecosystem’s evolution. A culture where individuals find meaning not only in their successes but also in their contributions to the success of others at their own expense. A paradigm where we celebrate the cycles of life—growth, stagnation, death, and renewal—as equally valuable.

As we step into this new paradigm, we recognise that our true legacy lies not in what we achieve individually but in what we nurture collectively.

The Centre for Climate Psychology offers seminars, training and individual mentoring to work out together what this may mean in our respective fields.

If you are interested in the IFS for Social Transformation course, you can find out more information here