The Last Lecture

I first came across The Last Lecture some time ago. It was given by Randy Pausch (1960-2008), a former professor of computer science at Carnegie Mellon University, and became a YouTube hit with more than 11 million views. In it, Pausch, who knew he had terminal pancreatic cancer, talked about achieving your childhood dreams. This positive, upbeat lecture was his swansong at Carnegie Mellon University as he bowed out of academia and the workforce in order to prepare his young family for a life without him. I have watched it on a few of occasions and never fail to feel both inspired and amazed afterwards. There are new gems and pearls of wisdom that I pick up with each viewing, but the overarching message is the same: life is for living, now.

Yesterday, I finished reading The Last Lecture (2008), the follow-up book to Pausch's lecture. It encapsulates everything from the lecture and pads out some of the details, including the reasons why Pausch wanted to leave this particular legacy to his wife and young family. It's a very easy read, and you will find yourself nodding your head on more than one occasion. The advice is neither new nor preaching, and there's something for everyone.

Here is the video of The Last Lecture for you to watch. It is one of the most valuable things you can do for yourself in 1 hour and 16 minutes.