Randy Pausch Last Lecture Summary

Apr 23, 2019

Notes from Randy Pausch’s Last Lecture at CMU on September 18, 2007.

We cannot change the cards we are dealt, we can just play the hand.
When you are screwing up and nobody’s saying anything to you anymore, that means they gave up.
Exprience is what you get when you didn’t get what you wanted.
Head Fake Learning: When we send our kids to play football, swimming or whatever it is, it is indirect learning. We don’t actually want them to learn football. We send them to learn much more important things like team work, perseverence, sportsmanship etc.
The brick walls are there to stop the people who don’t want it badly enough.
When you are pissed off at somebody and you are angry at them, you just haven’t given them enough time. Give them a little more time and they will almost always impress you.
Get a feedback loop and listen to it. When people give feedback, use it.
Don’t complain, work harder.
Be good at something: it makes you valuable.
Find the best in everybody. Keep waiting.
Luck is where preparation meets opportunity. Be prepared.
If you lead your life the right way, the dreams will come to you.