The Last Lecture

The Last Lecture

We cannot change the cards we are dealt,
just how we play the hand.
---Randy PauschAlthough Randy Pausch, a computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon, is dying, his last lecture is not about dying. It's about living.

There are five chapters in the book.

• 1. The Last Lecture
• 2. Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams
• 3. Adventures...And Lessons Learned
• 4. Enabling the Dreams of Others
• 5. It's About How to Live Your Life
• 6. Final Remarks

  Randy Pausch states not only the importance of overcoming obstacles but also that of living in the present -fully realizing each moment.
 

  What interests me most is his ways of doing things and his attitude toward life. He's full of spirits, a man of efficiency and excellence. He's also an admirable person who lives with integrity and love.
  Randy Pausch's life is coming to an end.  But his lecture and his book have inspired and encouraged people around the world. He has made a difference with them.  
 

Words of wisdom I've gleaned from the book.

• 1. You've got to get the fundamentals down, because otherwise the fancy stuff is not going to work.
• 2. If I work hard enough, there will be things I can do tomorrow that I can't do today.
• 3. Brick walls are there for a reason. They give us a chance to show how badly we want something.
• 4. Luck is indeed where preparation meets opportunity.
• 5. Give yourself permission to dream. Fuel your kids' dreams, too.
• 6. Complaining does not work as a strategy. We all have finite time and energy. Any time we spend whining is unlikely to help us achieve our goals. And it won't make us happier.
• 7. If you wait long enough, people will surprise and impress you.
• 8. A lot of people want a shortcut. I find the best shortcut is the long way, which is basically two words: work hard.
• 9. Tell the truth all the time.
• 10. If you want something bad enough, never give up.
• 11. When we're connected to others, we become better people.