Quotes from book
The Last Lecture

The Last Lecture
Randy Pausch

The Last Lecture is a New York Times best-selling book co-authored by Randy Pausch—a professor of computer science, human-computer interaction, and design at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania—and Jeffrey Zaslow of the Wall Street Journal. The book speaks on a lecture Pausch gave in September 2007 entitled "Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams".

Randy Pausch photo

“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

Randy Pausch photo

“Be good at something. It makes you valuable.”

Randy Pausch book The Last Lecture

The Last Lecture (2007)

Randy Pausch photo

“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)

Randy Pausch photo

“As stated in the book, the First Penguin award went to students who went out on a limb and failed! This came "from the notion that when penguins are about to jump into water that might contain predators, well, somebody's got to be the first penguin." So, even if there are failures, it brings experience. Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted. And experience is often the most valuable thing you have to offer.”

Randy Pausch book The Last Lecture

Source: The Last Lecture (2008), Chapter 39: Be the First Penguin, p. 149

Randy Pausch photo

“We all stand on the dart board and very few of us catch the darts. Do not think it is unfair. It is fair but you are unlucky.”

Randy Pausch book The Last Lecture

The Last Lecture (2008)

Randy Pausch photo

“Treat the Disease, Not the Symptom.”

Randy Pausch book The Last Lecture

The Last Lecture (2008)

Randy Pausch photo

“When you’re only doing it for one play and you’re just not where you’re supposed to be, and freedom’s just another word for nothing left to lose, boy are you going to clean somebody’s clock for that one play.”

Randy Pausch book The Last Lecture

The Last Lecture (2007)

Randy Pausch photo

“Respect authority while questioning it.”

Randy Pausch book The Last Lecture

Presentation placard
The Last Lecture (2007)

Randy Pausch photo

“When you do something young enough and you train for it, it just becomes a part of you.”

Randy Pausch book The Last Lecture

The Last Lecture (2007)

Randy Pausch photo

“When you're screwing up and nobody says anything to you anymore, that means they've given up on you.”

Randy Pausch book The Last Lecture

The Last Lecture (2008)

Randy Pausch photo

“You just have to decide whether you are Tigger or an Eeyore. You have to be clear where you stand on the Tigger/Eeyore debate.”

Randy Pausch book The Last Lecture

The Last Lecture (2007)

Randy Pausch photo

“You’ve got to get the fundamentals down because otherwise the fancy stuff isn’t going to work.”

Randy Pausch book The Last Lecture

The Last Lecture (2007)

Randy Pausch photo

“And he (Andy Van Dam) put his arm around my shoulders and we went for a little walk and he said, Randy, it's such a shame that people perceive you as so arrogant. Because it's going to limit what you're going to be able to accomplish in life. What a hell of a way to word "you're being a jerk." [laughter] Right? He doesn't say you're a jerk. He says people are perceiving you this way and he says the downside is it's going to limit what you're going to be able to accomplish.”

Randy Pausch book The Last Lecture

The Last Lecture (2008)
Variant: And he put his arm around my shoulders and we went for a little walk and he said, Randy, it’s such a shame that people perceive you as so arrogant. Because it’s going to limit what you’re going to be able to accomplish in life. What a hell of a way to word “you’re being a jerk.” [laughter] Right? He doesn’t say you’re a jerk. He says people are perceiving you this way and he says the downside is it’s going to limit what you’re going to be able to accomplish.

Randy Pausch photo

“He said, when you’re screwing up and nobody’s saying anything to you anymore, that means they gave up. And that’s a lesson that stuck with me my whole life. Is that when you see yourself doing something badly and nobody’s bothering to tell you anymore, that’s a very bad place to be. Your critics are your ones telling you they still love you and care.”

Randy Pausch book The Last Lecture

When Pausch spoke of "when you’re screwing up and nobody’s saying anything to you anymore, that means they gaveup." he was quoting an assistant coach of football coach James Graham
The Last Lecture (2007)

Randy Pausch photo

“I've always admired people who are over-prepared. In college, I had a classmate named Norman Meyrowitz. One day he was giving a presentation on an overhead projector" and the bulb subsequently went out. The class thought the presentation was over. "It's okay," Norm announced... and he went to his backpack and grabbed an extra bulb he brought with him.”

Randy Pausch book The Last Lecture

Source: The Last Lecture (2008), Chapter 46: All You Have Is What You Bring With You, p. 160

Randy Pausch photo

“Don't complain; just work harder.”

Randy Pausch book The Last Lecture

The Last Lecture (2007)

Randy Pausch photo

“We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand. If I don't seem as depressed or morose as I should be, I'm sorry to disappoint you.”

Randy Pausch book The Last Lecture

The Last Lecture (2007)

Randy Pausch photo

“Get a feedback loop and listen to it. … When people give you feedback, cherish it and use it.”

Randy Pausch book The Last Lecture

The Last Lecture (2007)