Randy Pausch: We've placed a lot of emphasis in this country on the id...

When we're connected to others, we become better people.

Randy Pausch

last-lecture connected people

Do not tell people how to live their lives. Just tell them stories and they will figure out how those stories apply to them.

Randy Pausch

stories life people

I know you're smart. But everyone here is smart. Smart isn't enough. The kind of people I want on my research team are those who will help everyone feel happy to be here.

Randy Pausch

smart team business

Believe nothing a man tells you and everything he shows you"....(Taken from a farewell video from a dying father to his infant daughter on dating)

Randy Pausch

daughter taken father

Another way to be prepared is to think negatively. Yes, I'm a great optimist. but, when trying to make a decision, I often think of the worst case scenario. I call it 'the eaten by wolves factor.' If I do something, what's the most terrible thing that could happen? Would I be eaten by wolves? One thing that makes it possible to be an optimist, is if you have a contingency plan for when all hell breaks loose. There are a lot of things I don't worry about, because I have a plan in place if they do.

Randy Pausch

optimistic attitude thinking

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.

Randy Pausch

karma inspiring life

Wait long enough and people will surprise and impress. When you're pissed off at someone and you're angry at them, you just haven't given them enough time. Just give them a little more time and they almost always will impress you.

Randy Pausch

compassion inspiring long

Find the best in everybody. Wait long enough, and people will surprise and impress you. It might even take years, but people will show you their good side. Just keep waiting.

Randy Pausch

friends long years

Everyone has to contribute to the common good. To not do so can be described in one word: selfish.

Randy Pausch

common-good selfish common

If you want something bad enough, never give up (and take a boost when offered).

Randy Pausch

want-something giving-up enough

educators best serve students by helping them be more self-reflective. The only way any of us can improve—as Coach Graham taught me—is if we develop a real ability to assess ourselves. If we can’t accurately do that, how can we tell if we’re getting better or worse?

Randy Pausch

get-better real self

Never lose the child-like wonder. It’s just too important. It’s what drives us. Help others.

Randy Pausch

important helping-others children

You may not want to hear it, but your critics are often the ones telling you they still love you and care about you, and want to make you better.

Randy Pausch

care love-you attitude

You can always change you plan, but only if you have one.

Randy Pausch

plans ifs

We have a finite amount of time. Whether short or long, it doesn't matter. Life is to be lived.

Randy Pausch

matter life-is long

It's not how hard you hit. It's how hard you get hit... and keep moving forward.

Randy Pausch

last-lecture hard moving

Walls aren't put in our life to stop us, they are there to test how much we really want somthing.

Randy Pausch

wall tests want

When you're screwing up and nobody says anything to you anymore, that means they've given up on you.

Randy Pausch

say-anything life mean

There's a lot of talk these days about giving children self-esteem. It's not something you can give; it's something they have to build.

Randy Pausch

teacher inspirational children

Sometimes you can't pay it back, so you just have to pay it forward.

Randy Pausch

pay-it-forward pay sometimes

We've placed a lot of emphasis in this country on the idea of people's rights. That's how it should be, but it makes no sense to talk about rights without also talking about responsibilities.