Take away
- Don't be afraid to start from the bottom
- Be in it for the long haul
Keeping track of the things which inspire me. Maybe they'll also inspire you.
Points to take away: (and gracias to the person who did the transcript)
One rock at a time.
But as this Web Worker Daily post notes, moving the rocks is easier than figuring out what rocks you want to move in the first place.
Once you actually step up and move that first rock, moving the next one is really easy. In fact it can be hard to stop. On a domestic scale I experience this in spring-cleaning and gardening frenzies.
It's often said the hardest thing to do is start. Chris Guillebeau mentioned that today
The reasons we fail to begin are frequently cited as: time, money, or something else external. The reasons we actually fail to begin are often: fear, inertia, or something else internal. It’s socially acceptable to blame our indecisiveness on a lack of resources. Everyone understands when you say you’re waiting for a change in situation before beginning. But in fact, it’s relatively easy to deal with the lack of resources. What’s harder is taking the first, critical steps toward overcoming the internal obstacles.
Starting is hard. Deciding what to start is harder. Doing is easy.
x-postedIt's cancer again. People with definitively limited time have such a focus. I don't think I'd trade though.
RIP, thanks.
Something happier next time, I promise.
Last night I settled down and made my way through the very easy ~200 pages. If you've seen both Randy's lectures then the book is really supplementary material - an alternative version containing basically the same information presented in a different medium, one which allowed more than the hour provided for the lecture.
I do believe it is best to watch the video first.
At the end of course there is a website - something I ought to have looked up earlier. thelastlecture.com contains bonus material, the full list of acknowledgements, and links to more video than I have collected here including the 10-minute version of the Last Lecture on Oprah.
One thing I especially liked about the book itself - I have the hardcover - is the way textures are done on the dustjacket. The cord itself is embossed to be slightly raised and the photo 'clipped' to the back is slightly raised and has a much smoother surface than the rest of the cover, making just holding the book a unusally tactile experience.
Two new points I took away from the book:
The last* in the series, from Randy, a later lecture given at the University of Virginia. The irony of how long it has taken me to get around to this is not lost.
Randy takes a little while to actually get into the talk. After that it's pretty solid. There's likely not a lot you haven't heard before, but it's nicely collected in one place and presented with his usual panache.
*I purchased the book of The Last Lecture today. I'll probably post a review.
Points to take away
Remembering Dr Randy Paush - a memorial service. Worth watching just to contrast Don Martinelli with the string of computer scientists.
Point to take away:
Slight divergence because I'm having trouble finding the hour & 1/2 to watch the next video (Randy Pausch's lecture on time management beckons).
Not thematically unrelated though. Via Seth Godin, this time.After a while trawling youtube I think this will be a 4 or 5 part series. In this post I wrap up some of the interviews from after he became a celebrity. I've just linked to most of them, but one or two are embedded. Links will open in new windows.
For more, just search youtube.
Diane Sawyer interview with Randy Pausch part 1:
Good Morning America, May 19, 2008
Addressing Congress:
Carnegie Mellon Professor Randy Pausch (Oct. 23, 1960 - July 25, 2008) gave his last lecture at the university Sept. 18, 2007, before a packed McConomy Auditorium. In his moving presentation, "Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams," Pausch talked about his lessons learned and gave advice to students on how to achieve their own career and personal goals.
Points to take away:
There are a lot of related videos on Youtube - interviews, follow ups and other recorded lectures presented by Randy, and I'll be working through those over the next little while.
Douglas Adams on Lemurs, the mating habits of the Kakapo, sundry other critters and our place in the world. Filmed in 2001 at the University of California
via http://www.ted.com/talks/douglas_adams_parrots_the_universe_and_everything.html
Point to take away:
Starting with the presentation which sparked the inspiration for this series, via the Chief Happiness Officer's blog - Dr. Srikumar S. Rao's presentation on finding happiness.
Points to take away