The Typical Sri Lankan: The Lack of a Growth Mindset

A growth mindset, characterized by an openness to change, willingness to innovate, and adaptability in the face of challenges, is essential for personal, economic, and societal progress. However, in Sri Lanka, a pervasive mindset rooted in comfort, risk aversion, and an unwillingness to embrace growth has limited the potential for both individual and national development. This essay explores how this mindset manifests across various aspects of Sri Lankan society, from a reluctance to embrace entrepreneurial ventures to a disregard for laws and civic duties. Recognizing and addressing these limitations is essential for Sri Lanka to foster a culture that prioritizes growth, development, and respect for shared social values.

1. Reluctance Towards Entrepreneurship and Risk-Taking

Sri Lanka exhibits low levels of entrepreneurship compared to other countries in the region, with only around 1.5% of the population engaged in entrepreneurial activities. Many citizens prioritize stability over innovation, often preferring traditional career paths in government or secure jobs in established companies. This preference stems from a risk-averse cultural mindset that discourages new ventures or untested ideas. For many, starting a business is perceived as fraught with risk and is generally seen as a last resort rather than an opportunity for growth and self-empowerment.

While stable employment is important, the avoidance of risk and innovation stifles job creation and economic dynamism. In countries that promote a growth-oriented mindset, small businesses are engines of job creation and economic resilience. Sri Lanka’s tendency to shy away from entrepreneurship thus places it at a disadvantage, both economically and socially, as innovation and diverse economic opportunities remain limited.

2. Dependency on Government Employment and State-Owned Enterprises

A substantial portion of Sri Lanka’s workforce aspires to secure positions in the public sector, attracted by its perceived stability and benefits. This reliance on government employment reflects a deeper cultural preference for security over development. Government positions, long seen as prestigious, tend to offer stable incomes and benefits but often lack the accountability, efficiency, and productivity seen in private-sector roles. This dependency on the state for employment reduces motivation to build skills, pursue private-sector opportunities, or seek personal growth, leading to a stagnation in talent and innovation.

Additionally, many state-owned enterprises (SOEs), which employ a large share of the workforce, are financially inefficient and operate at a loss. For instance, the national airline, SriLankan Airlines, lost over Rs. 240 billion from 2009 to 2019, placing a significant financial burden on the government and taxpayers. Such inefficiencies highlight the challenges of a mindset that prioritizes security over productivity, limiting Sri Lanka’s potential to channel resources into sectors that could foster economic development and growth.

3. Disregard for Civic Responsibility and Public Welfare

The typical Sri Lankan mindset extends beyond economic behaviors into social attitudes, particularly regarding law abidance, civic responsibility, and respect for public property. Disregard for public spaces and facilities, for instance, is widespread, with littering, vandalism, and neglect prevalent across public areas. This lack of respect for public property is often seen in behaviors such as careless littering and vandalizing of shared resources, which weakens the integrity of public infrastructure and diminishes the quality of shared spaces for all citizens.

This absence of civic responsibility is also apparent in traffic law violations. Sri Lanka has high road accident rates, partly due to drivers who routinely ignore traffic rules, often with little fear of consequences. This culture of impunity and disregard for laws undermines societal order, making public spaces and roads unsafe. When citizens fail to respect shared spaces and rules, it creates an environment of disorder and limits the country’s potential for social and infrastructural development.

4. Public Infrastructure Projects and Political Influence

Sri Lanka’s approach to infrastructure development further reflects a lack of a growth-oriented mindset. While large infrastructure projects like highways, ports, and airports are crucial for economic growth, they are often marred by poor planning, lack of transparency, and political motivations rather than genuine developmental intent. For instance, the Colombo Port City project faced public outcry and environmental concerns, primarily due to inadequate assessments and lack of community consultation.

These projects, often funded by foreign loans with high-interest obligations, strain the country’s finances. When projects lack proper feasibility studies, they fail to deliver their intended economic benefits, leaving the nation in debt without meaningful returns. Sri Lanka’s debt burden has reached critical levels, partly because of politically motivated projects that prioritize immediate political gain over long-term national growth.

5. Educational and Cultural Barriers to Innovation

Sri Lanka’s education system and cultural values contribute to this limited growth mindset. The education system traditionally emphasizes rote learning and exam performance over critical thinking, creativity, and entrepreneurial skills. This emphasis on academic achievement over practical skills discourages students from exploring unconventional career paths, further reinforcing the culture of risk aversion.

Culturally, there is also a strong emphasis on social status and family reputation, which can discourage individuals from pursuing innovative or unconventional opportunities for fear of judgment or perceived failure. The emphasis on stability and respectability, while valuable, may prevent individuals from taking risks that could ultimately benefit their personal development and contribute to national progress.

6. Breaking the Cycle: Cultivating a Growth-Oriented Mindset

To foster a growth mindset in Sri Lanka, societal shifts are essential. Education reform that encourages entrepreneurship, creativity, and critical thinking would equip young people with the skills to pursue diverse careers beyond the traditional public sector. Introducing civic education early in schools can instill values of respect for public spaces, law abidance, and civic responsibility, encouraging students to value and contribute to their communities positively.

Further, the government could incentivize the private sector by supporting small businesses and entrepreneurs through grants, low-interest loans, and simplified business registration processes. These initiatives would signal to the population that risk-taking and innovation are valued and necessary for the country’s progress.

Additionally, public accountability in large-scale projects can be improved by mandating transparency in infrastructure developments. Clearer public procurement policies, feasibility studies, and environmental assessments for government projects would create a culture of accountability, ensuring that taxpayer resources are invested in projects that genuinely contribute to economic growth and public welfare.

The typical Sri Lankan mindset, with its emphasis on security, reluctance toward risk, and limited civic responsibility, poses significant challenges to the country’s development potential. Addressing these limitations requires a multifaceted approach that includes educational reform, support for private enterprise, and a renewed commitment to civic responsibility. By fostering a growth-oriented mindset, Sri Lanka can empower its citizens to pursue innovation, adhere to shared social values, and contribute meaningfully to the nation’s progress. Cultivating this mindset across generations will be essential in building a resilient, forward-thinking society capable of overcoming future challenges and achieving sustainable growth. – Ravin Gunawardana.