"The Last Lecture" by Randy Pausch

This lecture, part of an ongoing series, is considered to be of great importance. As seniors facing the last semester of your high school career, I believe you find merit in what he offers.

We will watch this lecture together. Each day we will pause at important points to consider/reflect and discuss the ideas. The goal of this activity is to help you gain more from listening to the lecture. I have left sections where you are to fill in your ideas or summaries of what is being said.

The Last Lecture
By Dr. Randy Pausch
(Oct. 2, 1960-July 25, 2008)
Carnegie Mellon University
Given on Sept. 17, 2007

“We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play them.”
Three main sections from the lecture–
My Dreams
Enabling the dreams of others
Lessons learned
My Dreams:
Being in Zero Gravity -
“Brick walls are there for a reason: They let us prove how badly we want things. The brick walls are there to stop the people who don't want it badly enough."
What do you think this means in general?

Do you agree or disagree with the statement? Why?


How does this idea apply to the section on zero gravity?

Playing in the NFL -
Lessons from Coach Graham –
“Don’t get upset when people are criticizing you. When you are screwing up and no one
is saying anything to you, it means that everyone has given up on you.”
“Experience is what you get when you did'nt get what you wanted.”
What do you think this means in general?

Do you agree or disagree with the statement? Why?

How does this idea apply to the section on being in the NFL?

Being a Disney Imagineer –
“Brick Walls…” what does this statement mean in this context?


Jon Snoddy, “If you wait long enough, people will surprise and impress you. When you’re frustrated with people, when you’re angry, it may be because you haven’t given them enough time. Jon warned that this took great patience, even years. “In the end,” he said, “people will show you their good side. Just keep waiting. It will come out.”

Is this true? Why or Why not?


“It is very important to know when you are in a pissing match and to get out quickly.”
What does this mean in this context?

How might it apply to your own life?

When Pausch informed his administration that he wanted to take a sabbatical to work at Disney both administrators said the same thing, essentially, but it is how they said it that made a difference.
Describe each administrator’s reaction and Prof. Pausch’s emotional response:

*



*


What important thing(s) can we learn from these interactions?


“Be careful what you wish for…”
What was his surprising response to Imagineering?


How might this apply to your life?


Enabling the Childhood Dreams of Others

In this section I have simply taken down parts of the lecture that I thought were thought provoking. Feel free to either respond to what I have gleamed as important, OR report what you found of importance in this section and respond to it.

What will make for a good world?



“If you do anything that is pioneering, you will get those arrows in the back and you will just have to put up with it. Everything that could go wrong did go wrong, but at the end of the day a whole lot of people had a whole lot of fun.”

“When you have to hand over something that is precious to you, hand it over to someone who is better than you.”

“The Keys to ETC’s success is: Focusing on People and Learning to Work in Groups”
“One of the best gifts an educator can give is to make a person self-reflective.”
Explain what a “head fake” is how it applies to this section of the lecture.

Lessons Learned
This section sums up the messages the Randy Pausch wanted to get across. I will be posting these items in class and asking each person to select one. You are to take the lesson you’ve chosen and write a short speech about it. In the speech you will:
Explain what you believe it means;
Explain what you think Dr. Pausch means by it or why you believe it is important to him;
Give examples (positive and negative) that deal with the lesson;
What impact you hope your ideas and this lesson
“Respect Authority while questioning it.”

“Remember, that it is important to have fun.”

“You have to decide if you are a Tigger or an Eeyore.”

Never lose the child-like wonder

Help Others
“It is kind of fun to do the impossible.”

Loyalty is a two way street


Sil’s advice to young ladies, “Ignore everything they say and pay attention to everything they do.”

Never give up.


How to get people to help you –
• You can’t get there alone and I do believe in Karma
• Tell the truth
 “You get people to help you by telling the truth, by being earnest.”
• Be earnest
• Apologize when you screw up
• Focus on others, not yourself
 “The other people on your team are often the key to your success. Take care of their needs and yours will be taken care of.”


Brick walls let us show our dedication

“Don’t bail: The best gold is at the bottom of a pile of (pooh)”

Let me fix this: When you do the right thing, good stuff has a way of happening

Get a feedback loop and listen to it
“Your feedback loop can be a dorky spreadsheet or a brilliant adviser. The important thing is to listen to the feedback. If people are yelling at you, it's because they care.”


Show Gratitude.

Don’t complain, just work harder
"It was written in Jackie Robinson's contract that he wouldn't complain even when
people were spitting at him."


Be good at something. It makes you valuable

Work hard…”What’s your secret?”


Find the best in everybody; no matter how long you have to wait for them to show it

Be prepared; “luck” is where preparation meets opportunity