Reliable space weather forecasting is increasingly important as space infrastructure becomes the backbone for communications, security and defense. Given that the Sun’s magnetic activity drives space weather, achieving a physical understanding of the origins of the Sun’s magnetic field is critical. One of the main difficulties is that the Sun’s magnetic field is generated somewhere in the interior, either by rotational shear or by convective motions. Observing the rotation and magnetic activity of other stars points towards rotation being a key factor in driving stellar cycles. However, comparing state-of-the-art numerical simulations of the Sun’s near-surface with observations of magnetically active regions as they emerge, suggests that convective motions play a significant role in the Sun. With advances in observational capabilities from ESA’s upcoming space-based mission PLATO, coupled with innovative analysis techniques, we will be able to infer the rotational shear (not only bulk rotation) inside many thousands of other Sun-like stars to relate the physical generation mechanism with magnetic activity. Placing the Sun in the context of other stars will reveal the origin of the magnetic cycle in Sun-like stars and space weather conditions on orbiting planets.