The premise of this film is based on a fictional drug called NZT which magically transformed down-and-out loser Eddie Morra into one of the most successful entrepreneurs of his time. Aside from Bradley Cooper’s brilliant performance as Eddie, one of the most intriguing aspects of the story was the drug itself. In many ways, NZT represented power.

Throughout the story, one could see the effects it had on the various characters in the film and the lengths they were willing to go to just to have it. However, the other thing worth noting was what every entrepreneur can learn from the movie “Limitless“.

Entrepreneur Lessons From The Movie “Limitless”

#1: The Brightest Flame Burns Quickest

Eddie made shady back deals and even borrowed from a loan shark to jumpstart his business. His approach to success brought him instant fame and fortune, but as you could see in the film, there was a major downside to this.

Doing things unethically may help you get ahead, but in the real world this will only ensure short-term success at best with very real consequences. If you’re not convinced, just read the news about the likes of Bernie Madoff (who got in serious trouble with his Ponzi scheme) or Kim Dotcom (who is currently in custody for embezzlement).

#2: Image Is Everything

Thanks to NZT, Eddie was able to present himself as a competent businessman who won the trust of the people around him. In reality though, successful entrepreneurs can’t simply pop a pill to have a good reputation.

Being consistent in word and deed is the only way to gain the respect of your colleagues and customers. Even Carl Van Loon (played by Robert De Niro) knew something fishy was going on with Eddie and eventually discovered his dark secret. If you don’t make an effort to be genuine, people will see through it. So, what every entrepreneur can learn from the movie “Limitless” is that you need to earn your credibility the hard way if you expect anyone to take you seriously in the business world.

#3: Learn How to Communicate With Your Customer

Unfortunately, you can’t instantly transform yourself into a confident person like Eddie, but the good news is that you can teach yourself how to.

It starts with your mindset, and you can do this by developing a slight amount of detachment to the outcome. Of course, the goal of any business is to make a profit, but being too focused on closing the sale can translate into an aggressive attitude that rushes your customer into buying what you have to sell.

Instead, you need to stop thinking about getting clients to spend their money on your business (for now) and focus on making an emotional connection with them.

Eddie understood the importance of this. He made it a point to speak his customer’s language and discussed how his services could solve their fears and achieve their dreams.

#4: Be willing To Branch Out

While the jarring transformation from writer to stock broker might be hard to swallow (especially without the existence of a miracle drug), successful entrepreneurs in the real world can still evolve on a more realistic scale.

If your workflow is no longer working for your company, learn how to improve it or give it a drastic makeover if needed. If new opportunities are within reach, be willing to do new things in order to take advantage of the situation.

Surviving in business means embracing the idea of changing the way you do things or learning new skills you never thought you could.

#5: There Is No Magic Pill For Success

In the movie, Eddie turned out ok in spite of the near-death experiences he had. In the real world however, you wouldn’t be able to get away with what Eddie did.

Therefore, what every entrepreneur can learn from the movie “Limitless” is that there is no substitute for paying your dues. Long-term success comes at a cost which you have to pay for with hard work.

Successful entrepreneurs know that you have to be willing to acquire the hands-on experience of trial and error to become street-wise in the business world. There are no shortcuts to bridging the gap between learning how to become an entrepreneur and actually being one.