The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch

On September 18, 2007, computer science professor Randy Pausch stepped in front of an audience of 400 people at Carnegie Mellon University to deliver a last lecture called “Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams.” With slides of his CT scans beaming out to the audience, Randy told his audience about the cancer that is devouring his pancreas and that will claim his life in a matter of months. On the stage that day, Randy was youthful, energetic, handsome, often cheerfully, darkly funny. He seemed invincible. But this was a brief moment, as he himself acknowledged.  

Randy’s lecture has become a phenomenon, as has the book he wrote based on the same principles, celebrating the dreams we all strive to make realities. Sadly, Randy lost his battle to pancreatic cancer on July 25th, 2008, but his legacy will continue to inspire us all, for generations to come.

This is amazing: he died of pancreatic cancer in 2008, but wrote a book ‘The last lecture” before then, one of the best-sellers in 2007. What a legacy to leave behind…

In a letter to his wife Jai and his children, Dylan, Logan , and Chloe, he wrote this beautiful "guide to a better life" for his wife and children to follow. May you be blessed by his insight.

POINTS ON HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR LIFE Personality: 1. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about. 2. Don't have negative thoughts of things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment 3. Don't over do; keep your limits 4. Don't take yourself so seriously; no one else does 5. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip 6. Dream more while you are awake 7. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.. 8. Forget issues of the past. Don't remind your partner of his/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness. 9. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don't hate others. 10. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present 11. No one is in charge of your happiness except you 12. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn.      Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime. 13. Smile and laugh more 14. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree. Community: 15. Call your family often 16. Each day give something good to others 17. Forgive everyone for everything 18. Spend time with people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6 19. Try to make at least three people smile each day 20. What other people think of you is none of your business 21. Your job will not take care of you when you are sick. Your family and friends will. Stay in touch. Life: 22. Put GOD first in anything and everything that you think, say and do. 23. GOD heals everything 24. Do the right things 25. However good or bad a situation is, it will change 26. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up 27. The best is yet to come 28. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful 29. When you awake alive in the morning, thank GOD for it 30. If you know GOD you will always be happy. So, be happy. While you practice all of the above, share this knowledge with the people you love, people you school with, people you play with, people you work with and people you live with. Not only will it enrich YOUR life, but also that of those around you.

 

To view Randy Pausch's lecture in its entirety, please visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji5_MqicxSo