Transdisciplinarity and three mindsets for sustainability in the age of cyber-physical systems

•The only way to solve the challenges in all three dimensions of sustainable development – economic, social and environmental – is to invite a shift in our mindset.•We need to employ different mindsets and allow different thinking models to flourish. The three mindsets that we have discussed – systems mindset, design mindset and futuristic mindset —are important tools to put to use right away.•Systems thinking is required because today's world is interconnected and everything has the potential to affect everything else. We should move from disconnections to interconnections, from linear thinking to circular thinking, from silos to emergence, from parts to wholes, from analysis to synthesis.•Design thinking is needed because we should design for people with people. While some organisations will always work on providing solutions, some of us should work on understanding the needs and problems without being limited to technologies.•And futuristic thinking is essential to deal with the unknown unknowns, to provide solutions not just for the world we live in today but also for tomorrow – and to be prepared for the unexpected.