Professor Randy Pausch’s “Last Lecture”
If you can spare the time, watch the video in its entirety. The video is an hour and 40 minutes long, but is most definitely the best lecture/speech you have ever heard.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5700431505846055184
Over a million people have viewed the lecture online.
The Wall Street Journal calls it “the lecture of a lifetime“,
http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB119024238402033039.html
For those who don’t know (or haven’t yet gone through the links above), Professor Randy Pausch’s was until recently a Computer Science Professor at the Carnegie Mellon University. Last month, on Sept 18, he gave his “last lecture”. He has pancreatic cancer and expects to live for just a few more months.
I have been watching (and re-watching certain sections) the video for the last 3 hours. I couldn’t help but take notes of a few “take home points” I gathered from his lecture.
Experience is what you get when you didn’t get what you wanted
I particularly like this one.
Brick walls are there for a reason. They let us prove how badly we want things.
Brick walls are there to stop the “other” people, those that don’t want it badly enough.
Brick walls let us show our dedication.
He talked about his childhood dreams. And they were just not dreams, he actually achieved most of them. From being able to float in zero gravity, to designing rides for DisneyLand, to writing an entry in an encyclopedia, to being a part of a professional (Amercian) footbal team. And in so many of those dreams, he faced the “brick walls“, not just once, but many times. Its this thing about “brick walls let us prove how badly we want things” which really inspires me.
Another “never giveup“-style quote,
Dont bail; the best gold is at the bottom of barrels of crap.
In relation to his ever worsening medical condition,
In the face of adversity, don’t complain, just work harder. Your patience, will eventually be rewarded.
He is undergoing chemotherapy, but is still able to ride his bike an hour a day. As of last week, his cancer update page said his chemotherapy helped him gain an extra 2-4 months of good health.
About people, (in context of when we are really angry or annoyed at someone
Wait long enough and people will surprise and impress you.
Get a feedback loop; and listen to it.
So inspirational are his efforts in bridging computer science with the arts, that the Carnegie Mellon University (in recognition) is (at the cost of US$ 100 million) building two new buildings, one for the arts and one for computer science and actually connecting the two buildings with a footbridge, the Randy Pausch Memorial Footbridge.
My descriptions of how inspiring his lecture is, are mere words. Watch the video.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5700431505846055184
nurhida Said,
October 26, 2007 @ 11:11 am
randy pausch… what an inspirational man. i cannot express how much i appreciate his lecture. sometimes we forget the simple but important things in life, like living life to the fullest and the joys of helping others. randy reminds us not to give up on our dreams, and for that i am grateful… let’s keep his family in our prayers.