Randy Pausch's Last Lecture

Randy Pausch is a man who has reached the top step of self-actualization in Maslow's heiarchy of needs. He uses his "last lecture," when dying from cancer, to teach everyone that "if you live properly, the dreams will come to you." If anyone can give you the motivation to reach your dreams and live your life with dignity, it would be him.

In the world we live in today, it can be hard to keep your focus on what truly matters. We must appreciate the simplicity of life in order to receive the true goodness of what it has to offer us. Randy Pausch understood the true meaning of life and shared his experiences with the world.

He explains dreaming throughout his childhood. "It was an easy time to dream. When you turn on your television set and men are landing on the moon, anything is possible, and we should never lose that spirit." He understood from a young age, that opportunities were there and it was up to him to make it happen.

When being rejected several times to do what he wanted to do in football and in Disney, he never gave up. "If you don't achieve your dreams, you can still get a lot from trying for it." Eventually, he ended up being able to work on Aladin's magic carpet ride after developing a particular skill that was valuable to Disney. "The brick walls that are in our way are there for a reason. They are not there to keep us out, they are there to give us a way to show how much we want it."

The first time I listened to Randy Pausch's lecture, I remember feeling inspired by his strength and by his messages. Although we live in a different time, these messages are vital for people everywhere, at all times. His messages give us the motivation to live our lives by having fun and being dignified people.