Randy Pausch: Quotes about time

Randy Pausch was American professor of computer science, human-computer interaction and design. Explore interesting quotes on time.

Randy Pausch: 166 quotes13 likes

“If I could only give three words of advice, they would be, "tell the truth." If I got three more words, I'd add: "All the time."”

Randy Pausch book The Last Lecture

Source: The Last Lecture (2008), Chapter 48: Tell the Truth, p. 163

“The key question to keep asking is, Are you spending your time on the right things? Because time is all you have.”

Randy Pausch book The Last Lecture

The Last Lecture (2008)

“Never give up: There are certain times that you think, “OK, you have beaten me down to my knees. And now the challenge is, I am on my knees and you keep on beating me down. And the question is, are you going to keep beating me all the way to the ground or will I find a way to struggle my way back on to my feet.””

Randy Pausch book The Last Lecture

The Last Lecture (2008)

“Time is all you have and you may find one day that you have less than you think.”

Randy Pausch book The Last Lecture

The Last Lecture (2008)

“Never break a promise, but re-negotiate them if need be. If you haven’t got time to do it right, you don’t have time to do it wrong. Recognize that most things are pass/fail.”

Randy Pausch

Time Management (2007)
Context: General Advice: Never break a promise, but re-negotiate them if need be. If you haven’t got time to do it right, you don’t have time to do it wrong. Recognize that most things are pass/fail. Feedback loops: ask in confidence.

“Everyone has Good and Bad Times. Find your creative/thinking time. Defend it ruthlessly, spend it alone”

Randy Pausch

Time Management (2007)
Context: Everyone has Good and Bad Times. Find your creative/thinking time. Defend it ruthlessly, spend it alone, maybe at home. Find your dead time. Schedule meetings, phone calls, and mundane stuff during it.

“We don't beat the reaper by living longer, but by living well, and living fully — for the reaper will come for all of us. The question is: what do we do between the time we're born and the time he shows up.”

Randy Pausch

CMU Graduation speech (2008)
Context: We don't beat the reaper by living longer, but by living well, and living fully — for the reaper will come for all of us. The question is: what do we do between the time we're born and the time he shows up. Because when he shows up, it’s too late to do all the things that you’re always gonna, kinda get around to.

“You don’t find time for important things, you make it.”

Randy Pausch

Time Management (2007)

“Complaining does not work as a strategy. We all have finite time and energy. Any time we spend whining is unlikely to help us achieve our goals. And it won't make us happier.”

Randy Pausch book The Last Lecture

Source: The Last Lecture (2008), Chapter 32: Don't Complain, Just Work Harder, p. 139

“Being successful doesn’t make you manage your time well. Managing your time well makes you successful!”

Randy Pausch

Time Management (2007)

“It took me a long time but I finally figured it out: 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.”

Randy Pausch book The Last Lecture

Quoting a CMU secretary
The Last Lecture (2007)