“Decide if you are a Tigger or an Eeyore.”- Randy Pausch
Randy Pausch possessed many admirable leadership qualities that helped his spirit be unwavering during the most difficult time a person could endure. He believed in his own will to live and the inspiration that his words would bring to others, especially his children for whom he ultimately dedicated his work. The greatest of these qualities, however, would have to be his determination to see the positive in life and to inspire others to do the same. He believed,”You can’t control the cards you are dealt, just how you play the hand.” He was a brilliant man, who believed that the questions were more important than the answers and that every day was an adventure. His ability to hold true to his beliefs even in the face of death was an inspiration for those who were touched by his lecture.
For Randy Pausch, the turning point of his life was the discovery of his terminal illness in 2006. The extraordinary aspect of Randy, however, is that he always believed that you should live everyday as though your time may be limited. He said, “Time is all you have, and one day you may find that you have less than you think.” Even with that knowledge, Randy lived his life in an inspirational fashion, presenting his final lecture which was filled with pearls of wisdom that can be applied to made situations we all face in life.
Randy was a dreamer, who believed that you gain as much from your failures and you do from your successes. He believed, “Experience is what you get when you don’t get what you want.” He always tried to learn from those experiences, even going so far as to keep his rejection letters from Disney for the ten years it finally took for him to get his foot in the door and work for the company on a design project. He was a champion of hard work and determination both in his career and personal life. He not only believed in never giving up on your childhood dreams, but also in allowing them to be your inspiration throughout your adult life. He was truly a Tigger in a world of Eeyores.
References:
Pausch, R., & Zaslow, J. (2008). The last lecture. New York, NY: Hyperion
Randy Paush was first introduced to me on the Oprah Winfrey Show. She and Dr. Oz interviewed Randy on his book and the specifics of his cancer. My brother was one year cancer free when Randy's story came to me. I was so inspired by what I saw on the show that I immediately read the book and the entire video lecture series. His inspirational story, teaching us how to live while he was dying, reminds us all to slow down and celebrate life's moments.
ReplyDeleteHis courage, work ethic and passion for life are all traits that resemble Oprah Winfrey's. Both of these leaders are definitely Tiggers in a world of Eeyores. Randy dreamed 'big' and worked hard to live the life he imagined. Oprah's live your best life theme resonates in her life as well. She also believes that you learn about your strengths through your failures. These 'aha' moments can help us rise or fall depending on our attitude.
Hi Rose,
ReplyDeletePerseverence is the term that comes to my mind when I read your post about Randy. He is inspiration to us all as he brought forth a positive outlook in a time of potentially great sorrow. This is important for us to recognize as leaders. That positive outlook is critical to everyone in the organization even when things look bleak. This is an interesting persona contradiction but a discussion for another time.
As I look at the billboard it becomes apparent that motivation and a belief in something that drives that motivation are critical factors in the ability to lead. Randy has great passion and this evident through his book, lectures, and interviews. He has a vision for what the future should be and wishes to share that vision. He has succeeded!!
Take care,
Dave
What an inspiring leader! One of Randy's quotes, "You can’t control the cards you are dealt, just how you play the hand.” struck a similar chord with Martin Luther. In Martin Luther's struggle for answers, he came to the conclusion that the Catholic church was wrong in the practice of indulgences through his reading the Bible. He believed this with all his heart and spent the rest of his life sharing this with anyone who would listen to him. He could not retract because his heart would not allow it. Sadly, Randy Pausch could not change the deck of cards he was given, and Martin Luther expressed this exact feeling even though he could have done so.
ReplyDeleteI, too, find Randy Pausch's ability to live well-and to guide others to do the same--while facing his imminent death inspirational. The word that always come to mind when I think about Pausch is grace. While many would have been rendered incapacitated by the death sentence synonymous with his diagnosis, Pausch acknowledged his fate and used his illness as an opportunity to help his children and the millions of people who have now read or listened to The Last Lecture live.
ReplyDeleteWhile the subjects of our blogs are dissimilar in many ways, they share the trait of perseverance and have similar opinions of failure. Like Pausch, RFK believed that much could be learned through failure, and he felt that those who lived "safely" and avoided the possibility of failure weren't really living, for, "Only those who dare to fail greatly can live greatly."