Public Spark

This type of remarkable professor is hard to come by. I was so inspired by his lecture that I wanted to write a blog about Professor Randy Pausch. Last week he delivered his last lecture to the students at Carnegie Mellon University. He was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, with a prognosis of only a few months to live. However, the professor’s spirit is full of life, as he shares stories of his childhood dreams, enabling others to dream, and lessons learned. Below is an excerpt from his lecture.

Full lecture can be found on youtube:http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=randy+pausch&search=Search

Also, another video:
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07262/818671-85.stm

Some memorable quotes:

“Brick walls are there for a reason: they let us prove how badly we want things.”

“Experience is what you get when you didn’t get what you wanted.”

“Decide if you’re Eeyore or Tigger”

“Never lose the child like wonder”

“Help others”

“Loyalty is a two-way street”

“Never give up”

“Don’t bail: the best gold is at the bottom of barrels of crap.”

“Get a feedback loop and listen to it.”

“Show gratitude”

“Don’t complain, just work harder.”

“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.”

“It’s not about how to achieve your dreams, it’s about how to lead your life. If you lead your life the right way, the karma will take care of itself. The dreams will come to you.”