This professor, Randy Pausch, is the professor I always imagined all professors would be like when I got to college. Brilliant, interested, able to bring out the best in me. Inspiring. Better than me. Approachable. The reality is that very few professors are actually like this.

This is his last lecture as a professor. It is about how to realize your childhood dreams, how to help others realize theirs, and some lessons learned over his career spent doing both. It’s 90 minutes long. I know, it seems really long. But if there were 500 more men like this in the world –  even 5 more men like this in the world, the impact would be astonishing. We should all aspire to be like this man.

Oh, did I mention? He’s going to be dead by Spring. He’s 47. Yeah. It shouldn’t matter, but it does. I will probably watch this 5 more times. Watch 9 minutes, then let me know if you were able to stop.

I had a few great professors while I was in school. But only one who
really took an interest in me, one who I got to know. It was this man, Constantine Sedikides. So a little shout-out to you CS. Thanks. I often wonder if I would have finished school without you.

Thanks to Michael Arrington for the link.