The Last Lecture

If you want to see Randy Pausch's last lecture or read the transcript of it, you can find it here: http://download.srv.cs.cmu.edu/~pausch/

Here are some quotes that I like from it:
"We can't change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand."

"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."

"Remember brick walls let us show our dedication. They are there to separate us from the people who don’t really want to achieve their childhood dreams. Don’t bail."

"When you're screwing up and nobody's saying anything to you anymore, that means they gave up."

"Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted."

"The best way to teach somebody something is to have them think they’re learning something else." (Indirect learning-he calls this a head fake.)

"Never lose the childlike wonder. It’s just too important. It’s what drives us."

"When it comes to men that are romantically interested in you, it’s really simple. Just ignore everything they say and only pay attention to what they do. It’s that simple. It’s that easy."

Here are some of his main points:
1. Loyalty is a two-way street.
2. Never give up.
3. 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.
4. Apologize when you screw up and focus on other people, not on yourself.
5. Get a feedback loop and listen to it. ... 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.
6. Show gratitude.
7. Don't complain. Just work harder.
8. Be good at something, it makes you valuable.
9. Work hard.
10. Find the best in everybody. No one is all evil. Everybody has a good side; just keep waiting, it will come out.
11. Wait long enough and people will surprise and impress you.
12. And be prepared. Luck is truly where preparation meets opportunity