Limitless

Imagine what it would be like, to be able to unlock our hidden potential. Where would our lives be right now, had we the ability to function at our full capacity? What would we be able to achieve? What are the places we could go to? What kind of person could we become? The possibilities are endless.

The movie Limitless starring Bradley Cooper revolves around the idea that the average human brain only functions at 10-20% of its full capacity, and that it is possible to chemically induce the brain to function at 100% capacity through a drug. As a result, the main protagonist became induced in a mentally enhanced state where he experienced a marked increase in the sensitivity of his perception, an enhancement of his ability to learn, dramatically improved memory, clearer and faster thought processes, and a general increase in intelligence. From this he was able to rejuvenate his life and career, rising to the top of the food chain from the lowest echelons of society in a matter of months. He was able to learn new languages in a matter of days, seduce any women he wants, and manipulate people as if they were puppets with strings attached to his fingers.

But, what this movie was not trying to say was, how amazing life would be if we had such a drug at our disposal. Rather, it implies that each and every one of us have hidden potential, and that the ability to unlock this does not lie within a chemical concoction, but within ourselves. If we exploited our intelligence, our abilities, our capabilities to the full so that we grasp every opportunity, making full use of every second of our lives, then the possibilities are limitless.