Randy Pausch’s Last Lecture - Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams

I suppose you know Randy pausch (Oct. 23, 1960 - July 25, 2008) – a 47 year old professor of Computer Science, Human Computer Interaction and Design at Carnegie Mellon University and the creator of the Alice interactive computing program.

He has inspired not only me but millions of people across the world with his Last Lecture (As per the university tradition “Last Lecture” is the lecture to be given by professors based on the concept - “what wisdom would you try to impart to the world if you knew it was your last chance?”) titled “Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams” which was given after having realized that he was suffering from pancreatic cancer.

In his inspirational lecture Randy Pausch shares about his childhood dreams, lessons learned and advices on how to achieve your own career and personal goals.

Below is the video for people who have not seen yet.


Just wanted to share the notes that I had captured while hearing to the lecture, and of all I liked the concept of Brick Walls and Head Fakes.

* Experiencing zero gravity -- never give up -- Being persistent to accomplish your dream.

* Fundamentals are most important and this would make you strong in rest of your life.

* When you see your self doing some thing badly wrong and there is no one to tell you any thing…then that is a very bad place to be in. Your critics are the one who tell you they love you and that they care for you.

* Experience is what you get when you didn’t get what you wanted.

* It’s really cool to meet your boyhood idol, but it’s even cooler when he comes to you to see what cool stuff you are making in your lab.

* Brick walls are there for a reason: they let us prove how badly we want things. They would stop the people who don’t want badly enough, they are going to stop other people.Brick walls let us show our dedication.

* Wait long enough and people will surprise and impress you. When you are pitched off / angry with any one, it is nothing but you have not given enough time.

* When your students do extraordinary and you are suppose to give them a feedback then just say - Guys that was pretty good but I know you can do better! As they obviously don’t know where the bar should be and you are only doing service by laying the bar beyond, which would indirectly refine them.

* Find somebody better than you to hand over what you have started.

* Head fakes – learning things indirectly. Example.. through sports we learn team spirit, perseverance.

* Encourage creativity in your children.

* Having fun in things you do is most important – like a fish talking about the importance of water – have fun every moment of your life. Never lose the child like wonder.

* When you do right thing, good stuff is on its way to come.

* Get feedback and start listening and working on it. Cherish and use it.

* Show gratitude.

* Don’t complain, just work harder.

* How to get people to help you:
- Tell the truth
- Be earnest
- Apologize when you screw up
- Focus on others not your self.

* Important advice:
- Be good at something; it makes you valuable.
- Work hard.
- Find the best in everybody; no matter how you have to wait for them to show it.
- Be prepared: luck is where preparation meets opportunity.

If you want to know more, you can visit following links:
Randy Pausch web page - http://download.srv.cs.cmu.edu/~pausch/Randy/oldRandyPage.html
The Last Lecture book - http://www.thelastlecture.com
Randy Paush Time Management Lecture - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTugjssqOT0