Protagonism: The first step to awaken regenerative economies is based on authentic belonging to build community growth

It is powerful when someone captures a concept, an idea, or any kind of creation and expresses it, evoking a reflection so deep that the original creator wouldn’t be able to achieve it by themselves. I could call it “regeneration,” “togetherness,” or “interconnection,” but from many inspiring options, I choose the word “protagonism”.

“Although I’ve always confused protagonist with the principle participant, I now realize the protagonist is the individual that moves events forward through their actions and decisions, even if not the protagonist isn’t the principal of the events (certainly a protagonist can be a principal in an event, yet only be a protagonist if the individual’s activity moves the events).” — Michael Treadwell (Texas, USA)

I could continue by exploring deeper what I mean by “protagonism”, but I choose to describe the embodied feeling of being a protagonist: a mix of enthusiasm and peace, urgency and hope, courage and prudence to affirm precisely the future we want to build and live.

“When we operate from our passion, we step into our power as protagonists. This self-connection is what allows genuine cooperation to flourish, creating the belonging needed to materialize our dreams for a sustainable future. A powerful reminder that the future of business is deeply human.” — Frank-Jurgen Richter (Switzerland, EU)

I could explain how dual feelings, like “enthusiasm and peace”, awaken the AWE of our human duality, allowing us to reconnect to our regenerative nature to keep our passions and dreams alive – and ourselves too. Instead, I’m choosing to share some of the words that created a deep resonance in me lately: expressions of protagonism by some of the most generously smart people that crossed my path.

Insights by protagonists from different places worldwide, connected by the shared dream of a regenerative reality, transcend disconnection between different languages, cultures and stories. Regeneration is alive at this creative point: the ability to connect what seems to be disconnected, reaching a convergence of visions. A protagonist awakens when someone has the freedom to express the connection of passions, desires and abilities that make us unique – allowing us to connect to the uniqueness of others, not to fit in, but to truly belong to the global community.

“Protagonism is an expression of the inner freedom to make decisions in accordance with one’s own values, desires and beliefs; True protagonism means having enough freedom to resist, innovate or consciously adapt within social systems patterns; Freedom is the moment before choice.” — Thomas Schöller (Austria, EU)

Are you postponing the choice of being a protagonist, beginning by recognizing and embracing your passions?

I call a “protagonist” someone able to capture a concept, an idea or any kind of creation and express it, evoking a reflection so deep that the original creator (“protagonist”) wouldn’t be able to achieve alone. At this point, I’m returning to the beginning, showing in a practical way how nature works. It’s circular: when we arrive at the end, we return to the start. And it’s also spiral: when we return to the beginning, we’re already deeper.

So, let’s go deeper into this “hunt” for different ways to express “protagonism”, regarding some important passages from the Horasis Global Summit 2025, “Harnessing the Power of Cooperation”:

Here, protagonism is written as “autonomy”:

“Autonomy imposes itself as a rational assumption for the generation of knowledge.” — Carlos Gilberto Carlotti, Rector of the University of São Paulo

Here, “storytellers” becomes another way to say protagonism:

“Good storytelling opens a clear focus in complex issues.” — Maria Cristina Frias, Partner at Grupo Folha, Brazil

And here we have expressions of what it means to act as a protagonist, understanding that our accountability reflects who we are and the lifestyle we drive for ourselves – the sum of individual lifestyles and organizational cultures is what creates our economy:

“My goal is to serve people through my skill set.”

— Mikhail Higgins (Bahamas)

“Each of us has a responsibility to make the world a better place.”

— Indrani Pal-Chaudhuri (USA)

We can also go deeper, moving from reflection to action, by looking at quantitative data. These numbers reflect the impact of choosing protagonism over passivity in our global economy:

Longevity: Individuals with a clear sense of purpose – acting as protagonists in their own lives – can increase their life expectancy by up to 7 years and experience significantly lower rates of burnout (Harvard Study of Adult Development).

Performance: Business units with high employee engagement see a 23% increase in profitability and a 10% increase in customer loyalty (Gallup).

Innovation: Companies that prioritize regenerative innovation and ecosystem collaboration see a 30% faster time-to-market for new products (BCG).

The Cost of Disconnection: Conversely, low engagement and a lack of belonging cost the global economy approximately $8.8 trillion or 9% of global GDP (Gallup).

I could conclude by sharing an inspiring thought, but as a protagonist passionate about awakening others, I choose to invite you to co-create this conclusion with me by choosing a word and an affirmation to make your own protagonism visible and practical. Here is my contribution, as the integrity of practice is the most authentic form of invitation (and innovation):

Word: Harmonious Affirmation: I’m driving my protagonism to actively regenerate and re-humanize growth, understanding that individual purpose meets collective cooperation and the future is not just conditioned, but intentionally lived.

Paula Costa, Founder, Passion Economy Journey, Portugal