The Last Lecture

I just got finished reading this amazing book, The Last Lecture, by Randy Pausch.  I just had to share some of the fabulous quotes from the book.

• And as you get older, you may find that
  "enabling the dreams of others" thing is even more fun. (p. 4)

• When you see yourself doing something badly and nobody's bothering
  to tell you anymore, that's a very bad place to be. Your critics
  are your ones telling you they still love you and care. (p. 5)

• Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted. (p. 6)

• The brick walls are there for a reason. The brick walls are not there to keep us out.
  The brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something.
  Because the brick walls are there to stop the people who don't want it badly enough.
  They're there to stop the other people. (p. 8)

• [On Humility] My dad had fought in World War II in the Battle of the Bulge,
  and when we were going through his things [after he died], we found out
  he had been awarded the Bronze Star for Valor. My mom didn't know it.
  In 50 years of marriage it had just never come up. (p. 17)

• When I was in high school, I decided to paint my bedroom   I always wanted a submarine and an elevator... And the great thing about this is
  they let me do it. And they didn't get upset about it. And it's still there.
  If you go to my parent's house it's still there. And anybody who is out there
  who is a parent, if your kids want to paint their bedroom, as a favor to me
  let them do it. It'll be OK. Don't worry about resale value on the house. (pp. 17-18)

• Decide if you're Tigger or Eeyore. Never lose the childlike wonder.
  It's just too important. It's what drives us. Help others. (p. 19)

• How do you get people to help you? You can't get there alone. People have
  to help you and I do believe in karma. I believe in paybacks. You get people
  to help you by telling the truth. Being earnest. I'll take an earnest person
  over a hip person every day, because hip is short term. Earnest is long term. (p. 21)

• Apologize when you screw up and focus on other people, not on yourself. (p. 21)

• Remember brick walls let us show our dedication. They are there to separate us
  from the poeple who don't really want to achieve their childhood dreams. (p. 21)

• Anybody can get chewed out. It's the rare person who says, oh my god, you were right.
  When people give you feedback, cherish it and use it. (p. 22)

• Don't complain. Just work harder. [shows slide of Jackie Robinson, the first black
  major league baseball player] That's a picture of Jackie Robinson. It was in his
  contract not to complain, even when the fans spit on him. (p. 22)

• Be good at something, it makes you valuable. (p. 22)

• Work hard. I got tenure a year early. Junior faculty members used to say to me,
  wow, you got tenure early. What's your secret? I said, it's pretty simple.
  Call me any Friday night in my office at ten o'clock and I'll tell you. (p. 22)

• Find the best in everybody... you might have to wait a long time, sometimes years,
  but people will show you their good side. Just keep waiting no matter how long it takes.
  No one is all evil. Everybody has a good side, just keep waiting, it will come out. (p. 22)

• And be prepared. Luck is truly where preparation meets opportunity. (p. 22)

Sadly Randy lost his battle with cancer. 

~ Jan