Randy Pausch Last Lecture: Achieving Your Childhood Dreams
Introduction
In September 2007, Randy Pausch gave a lecture titled “Achieving your childhood dreams” at Carnegie Mellon University. In his lecture, Randy uses stories from his personal experiences to teach various lessons on how one can achieve their childhood dreams. He starts by listing his childhood dreams and proceeds to explain in short stories relating to his journey towards achieving each one of his childhood dreams. He is able to accomplish this by explaining the lessons he learnt, and experiences he went through that helped him achieve his childhood dreams. He demonstrates the importance of various principles he learnt along the way as he pursued each one of his childhood dreams. Pausch uses stories from his personal experiences and quotes numerous people he interacted with throughout his journey In His Lecture.
Things One Needs To Do To Achieve His/her Childhood Dreams According To Randy Pausch.
Firstly, one has to know the fundamentals of his/her childhood dreams. Pausch expounds this by explaining how it is always essential to have the basics of what one’s dreams entails and being sure of having a proper understanding of childhood dreams. In his words, he says: “You’ve got to get the fundamentals down because otherwise, the fancy stuff isn’t going to work.”
Then, one has to listen to constructive criticism. Here, he explains that when you are doing something and you receive positive critique, it shows that there are people who care about what you are doing, and these people want to see you achieve it. From the lecture, he says, “Your critics are the ones telling you they still love you and care.”
Thirdly, one has to understand that the value of people is way more than that of material things. In short, people are more important than things. Pausch explains how he learned the importance of people through his parents. There is a time he went to pick his niece and nephew with his new convertible from his sister’s place. His sister tried to explain to the kids how important they need to be in Pausch’s new convertible, funnily, Pausch poured a little soda in the back seat of the car to put the point across that material things are not that important in this life.
The next lesson was that one has to be enthusiastic about his/her childhood dreams. This is by always showing interest and enjoying working on your dream. Pausch was very passionate about his dreams and made sure he enjoyed what he was doing to achieve his dreams.
Another lesson from the Pausch lecture was not giving up, no matter the circumstances. He explains that even when one faces obstacles along the way, he/she should always remember that the obstacles only stop those who do not want something so badly. From the lecture, he says, “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“.
Another lesson on how to achieve one’s childhood dreams is to have a mentor. Pausch explains that it is always important to have someone who guides and offers excellent support on the journey towards achieving the dreams set. Make sure the person has your best interests at heart and that he/she demonstrates great qualities that will help you in the journey of pursuing and achieving those childhood dreams.
Pausch also talks about working well with other people. One cannot do it alone because other people always play a massive role in helping achieve their childhood dreams. This usually happens when those people tell the truth and are earnest to you. I’ll choose an earnest person over a hip person every day because hip is short-term, and earnest is long-term.
The other lesson is never losing the childlike wonder. It is important because it is what drives a person to continue pursuing childhood dreams. The same way a child believes in making the impossible happen; one has to have the same belief even as an adult.
Apologize when you mess up and focus on other people, not just yourself. When you are wrong, always acknowledge your fault and ask for forgiveness, and do not try justifying your actions, admit you are wrong and ask what you can do to make it better.
A person is supposed to remember to show gratitude. Being grateful is a simple gesture that can go very far. From the lecture, “When I got tenure, I took all of my research team down to Disney World for a week,” Pausch says. Pausch also makes it clear that one should not always focus on complaining; instead one should work harder. Also, instead of focusing your energy and time complaining, use the time and energy to work on your childhood dreams.
Finally, be prepared. “Luck is truly where preparation meets opportunity.” Pausch explains that one can prepare well in pursuing his/her childhood dreams by gathering enough knowledge and skills in childhood dreams.
Who Was The Lecture Really Meant For?
He concludes his lecture by identifying two fakes in his lecture in a twist of the real purpose of the lecture and the people who he prepared the lecture for. Pausch wittily says the lecture was not meant for them; the lecture was for his kids. But personally, I think the lecture applies to anyone who is in pursuit of his/her childhood dreams.