Dying to Live: Thank You, Randy Pausch

I just discovered that Randy Pausch passed away...

Who is Randy Pausch and why should we care?  I never knew him or met him but his story moved me tremendously and, in some small way, became a piece of inspiration that helped form the philosophy and attitudes toward life that I possess as of today.

To the world at large, especially the internet community, Randy Pausch is best known for his "Last Lecture" as a professor.

For a combination of how Mr. Pausch inspired me and millions of others, please read my post, Dying to Live, where you will also find links to his home page and to his Last Lecture, which I highly recommend, especially now, as the lecture's meaning and Randy Pausch's greatest lessons are as compelling (and needed) as ever before...

"We say that the hour of death cannot be forecast, but when we say this we imagine that hour as placed in an obscure and distant future.  It never occurs to us that it has any connection with the day already begun or that death could arrive this same afternoon, this afternoon which is so certain and which has every hour filled in advance." ~ Marcel Proust

Thank you, Randy Pausch, and to your beautiful family, for the inspiration that is now propelled and perpetuated by your dying to live...

Comments

[Vered]

What a beautiful tribute. He WAS (still is!) a great inspiration.

[The Financial Philosopher]

Vered:

Thanks for sharing the thought...

Kent

[Iqbal Latif]

Randy gave million hopes for what was a bleak situation for him. Others would have pondered on why me he made death look so easy and reminded all of us that it is just an end to a new beginning.

When chips are down to stand up and cheer others is best form of unique humanism. He was embodiment of hopefulness and buoyancy. His inspiration has touched the hearts of millions of people around the globe. We all will die but to die such beautifully bringing so much hope and bliss to millions who had no hope is absolutely saintly.

My heart goes out to his family and children. Randy message of optimism and facing the ultimate challenge with courage and daring is our common heritage, lets rejoice and celebrate his stunning existence, what a beautiful life and what a beautiful death.

Thanks for a great tribute..

[The Financial Philosopher]

Iqbal:

Thanks for the eloquent words...

Randy Pausch found meaning in his life, which is what I can only imagine would make death easier to face.

In many ways, he still lives...

Thanks again...

Kent

[SSK]

Hello Kent, Thanks for the links to your past article on Randy. An impressive person indeed. I concur that life should not be a set goals, but rather a journey of experiences. In my own life, I have experienced many things, and I cannot honestly qualify them as good, or bad. In my experience, things that were something desired and that were accomplished; for instance building a custom 3 story house with my buddy from the footers to the finish carpentry, was full of interesting experiences, but the best experience was when we decided to sell it to pay a large debt to the IRS, after a few yr battle in the courts, all the way to the appellate level, all Pro Se. Almost everyone that I came into contact with, and told the story to, had a negative response of how sad it was to have had to sell it. They missed the joy of the experience, and focused on simply the material aspect of it, how sad. Paradoxically the joy was in building it,designing it, sweating, overcoming challanges, meeting new people, doing business with new entities,,etc, Most thought my additude about selling the place to settle the debt and not feeling remorse was cavalier. In my opinion, it was much more like the "Brick wall" that Randy spoke about, taking me to the next level of experience, that being my work at TAMTA.NET following through on an interest of over 10 yrs,previously with mediocre results, and for the first time during that 10 yr tenure, doing what is required to achieve my future desires in the markets. The experience to most regarding the house would have been negative,some of my friends stating that they would have killed themselves (friends that have lots of material things)! How sad! As Randy put it, "As the cards were dealt, what is the best way to play the hand"? Continue a losing fight with the government? Continue status quo with a business that was affected by the ordeal?, NO, it was the catayst to break down the wall of bricks and do what was required for a chance of succsess that has the potential for enjoying new experiences that would never be possible if the status quo remained. I would argue that without the ordeal over the house, I might still be running a succsessful business,keeping my feet in the same place as it were, and missed out on many experiences that would not have been possible, some of which have been realized, some yet to be enjoyed. These experiences are not simply based on material things, but more enjoyable things that are germane to what Dr. Steenbarger discusses with his audience. To sum up, I am reluctant to call things good, bad, evil, blessed, etc, I think that all of a persons experiences can lead to a stronger mental inclination, a more fulfilling life, a greater emotional intelligence if one gets the sense of how to use the experience. Keep up the good work, and a fitting tribute to Randy's positive outlook on life. Best, SSK

[The Financial Philosopher]

SSK:

Thanks for sharing your personal experience...

Often, we are told that the healthiest outlook on life is to "make lemonade out of lemons."

I disagree. Those who appear to make the most out of life are those who do not perceive any experience as a "lemon."

To word your experience in another way, it is not the end result that brings the greatest reward, it is the pursuit of the reward...

"What is important in life is life, and not the result of life." ~ Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

Thanks again for your thoughts and inspiration...

Kent

[Eric Willson]

Hi Kent,

My wife and daughters bought Randy's book for me for father's day. After reading it in one sitting, I watched his "Last Lecture" video and started following his blog. The guy's courage even is his last days was inspirational. It's great to read about someone who, even before he was facing his disease, seemed to approach every day with a true zeal and passion. Everyone should read his book and watch the last lecture. His best quote is the brick wall analogy. What are the things in your life that you care enough about to blast through the brick walls in your way?

[The Financial Philosopher]

Eric:

Thanks for the comment! It's good to hear from you...

For me, the "brick wall" is my self. I do not push my ideas and values onto others but I believe that this is the same for every individual, as well...

I believe that every person's greatest potential enemy is them self. Joy and suffering are both inner-creations.

Probably the greatest brick wall is inertia and I believe much of Randy Pausch's message essentially says this...

Thanks again for commenting. I hope to hear from you again soon...

Kent