Join us on a thought experiment:
Imagine there was a pill you could take today that would allow you to live until age 200. But instead of experiencing the normal aging process, it would keep you perfectly healthy until you died peacefully in your sleep.
Would you take it?
Your first thoughts may be a list of all the things that this pill would allow you to do. You could try an entirely new career, or several new careers. You could go back to school and learn whatever you wanted, however much you wanted. You could travel anywhere and everywhere. You just might live long enough to walk on Mars. And you could accomplish all of this without the pressure of time.
But before you start reaching for that miracle pill, consider the potential drawbacks.
Let’s say your life expectancy was extended from 100 years without the pill to 200 years with it. That’s 100 more Canadian winters. 100 more years of getting stuck in traffic. Maybe even 100 more years of that politician you love to hate being in power.
Is it worth it?
Would the extra time change the way you live? Instead of soaking up all of the life experiences you could, would it cause you to slow down or put things off because you know you have more time?
Would it change the way everyone lives? If this pill was available to everyone, what impact would it have on innovation and forward progress?
As you go deeper down this rabbit hole, you’ll soon discover that health isn’t the only consideration that matters.
What about wealth? Would you have enough money to fund your lifestyle until 200? Would you have to keep working until you’re 130 instead of being able to retire by 65?What about social connection? If your loved ones don’t take the pill, would you want to live 100+ years without them?
Of course there is no magic pill, but the point of this experiment is to get you thinking about what’s really important to you. Regardless if your retirement lasts 5 years or 105 years, these 3 factors will always matter: health, wealth, and connection.
We would love to hear from you! Would you take the pill? Why or why not?
