How to fulfill your childhood dreams
Dying Professor Releases his 'Last Lecture'
Nasir Sakandar, Staff Writer
Issue date: 5/12/08 Section: Tempo
Death is never easy to deal with.
But for Carnegie Mellon University professor Randy Pausch, he had no choice but to deal with it, and fast.
Pausch is dying from pancreatic cancer; doctors say that he won't live for very long, so he decided to theme his last lecture "Really achieving your childhood dreams."
Retiring professors mostly give last lectures, but for Pausch, it was an opportunity to leave something for his three young children.
The lecture was inspiring; he discussed how he achieved his goals and what worked for him.
With the power of YouTube and the Internet, the video of his last lecture was seen more than six million times.
An offer to expand his last lecture into a book, a memoir of sorts, landed Pausch with journalist Jeffrey Zaslow and together they penned "The Last Lecture."
"The Last Lecture" is as inspiring as his actual lecture. The book focuses on the life of Pausch and the small things in his life that made it worthwhile.
What makes "The Last Lecture" so popular and inspiring is that Pausch is a normal person, someone who has no agenda and someone who didn't grow up with a silver spoon in his mouth.
The publishing industry is plagued with celebrity confessions and self-help books, but Pausch brings something new to the table.
Reading about his life lessons and the innocence of his childhood dreams reminds readers that life is valuable.
Being reminded life is short and valuable makes "The Last Lecture" a rewarding experience.
Pausch's life is not one of extravagance or an uncanny adventure, but a simple one, where childhood dreams come true with perseverance and hard work.
After reading "The Last Lecture" one doesn't feel pity for Pausch, but a great deal of admiration.
Death is inevitable but reading "The Last Lecture" gives a little preparation for it by living out your childhood dreams.
But for Carnegie Mellon University professor Randy Pausch, he had no choice but to deal with it, and fast.
Pausch is dying from pancreatic cancer; doctors say that he won't live for very long, so he decided to theme his last lecture "Really achieving your childhood dreams."
Retiring professors mostly give last lectures, but for Pausch, it was an opportunity to leave something for his three young children.
The lecture was inspiring; he discussed how he achieved his goals and what worked for him.
With the power of YouTube and the Internet, the video of his last lecture was seen more than six million times.
An offer to expand his last lecture into a book, a memoir of sorts, landed Pausch with journalist Jeffrey Zaslow and together they penned "The Last Lecture."
"The Last Lecture" is as inspiring as his actual lecture. The book focuses on the life of Pausch and the small things in his life that made it worthwhile.
What makes "The Last Lecture" so popular and inspiring is that Pausch is a normal person, someone who has no agenda and someone who didn't grow up with a silver spoon in his mouth.
The publishing industry is plagued with celebrity confessions and self-help books, but Pausch brings something new to the table.
Reading about his life lessons and the innocence of his childhood dreams reminds readers that life is valuable.
Being reminded life is short and valuable makes "The Last Lecture" a rewarding experience.
Pausch's life is not one of extravagance or an uncanny adventure, but a simple one, where childhood dreams come true with perseverance and hard work.
After reading "The Last Lecture" one doesn't feel pity for Pausch, but a great deal of admiration.
Death is inevitable but reading "The Last Lecture" gives a little preparation for it by living out your childhood dreams.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 2
Jean
posted 5/13/08 @ 2:12 PM PST
I have read of Randy before. Does anyone know if he is still living? He has lived longer than anyone I know with pancreatic cancer. I had a brother-in-law and a friend who had it and neither lived but a few months. (Continued…)
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