The Last Lecture: Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams
Randy Pausch
Carnegie Mellon professor Randy Pausch delivers his final lecture while facing terminal cancer — a masterclass in living with purpose.
Why we picked this
21+ million views. Became a bestselling book in 35 languages. One of the most important lectures ever recorded.
In September 2007, Carnegie Mellon computer science professor Randy Pausch stood before a packed auditorium and delivered a lecture titled “Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams.” The audience knew something the format didn’t reveal: Pausch had been diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer. He had months to live.
What followed wasn’t a eulogy or a motivational speech. It was a genuine lecture — structured, funny, specific, and packed with concrete wisdom about how to pursue the things you care about. Pausch talks about brick walls (they exist to show you how badly you want something), about enabling the dreams of others, about the difference between a head fake and the real lesson.
At 76 minutes, it’s the longest video we’ve curated. It earns every second. Pausch died in July 2008, but this lecture has been viewed over 21 million times and was adapted into a bestselling book published in 35 languages. It’s not sad. It’s the opposite of sad. It’s a man who knows exactly how much time he has left, choosing to spend it teaching.