Randy Pausch

If nobody ever worried about what was in other people's heads, we’d all be 33 percent more effective in our lives and our jobs.

it make no sense to talk about rights without also talking about responsibilities

Time is all you have. And you may find one day that you have less than you think.

I understand the arguments about how the billions of dollars spent to put men on the moon could have been used to fight poverty and hunger on Earth. But, look, I'm a scientist who sees inspiration as the ultimate tool for doing good. When you use money to fight poverty, it can be of great value, but too often, you're working at the margins. When you're putting people on the moon, you're inspiring all of us to achieve the maximum of human potential, which is how our greatest problems will eventually be solved. Give yourself permission to dream.

I’ve never understood pity and self-pity as an emotion. We have a finite amount of time. Whether short or long, it doesn’t matter. Life is to be lived.

إذا لم تنجح في المرة الأولى .... حاول وعاود المحاولة في المرة الثانية

If you have a question, then find the answer.

It's very important to know when you're in a pissing match. And it's very important to get out of it as quickly as possible.

If you took one-tenth the energy you put into complaining and applied it to solving the problem, you'd be surprised by how well things can work out... Complaining does not work as a strategy. We all have finite time and energy. Any time we spend whining is unlikely to help us achieve our goals. And it won't make us happier.

Do not tell people how to live their lives. Just tell them stories and they will figure out how those stories apply to them.

Junior faculty members used to come up to me and say. "Wow, you got tenure early; what's your secret?" I said, "It's pretty simple, call me any Friday night in my office at 10 o'clock and I'll tell you."

If you want something badly enough, do not give up!

One thing that makes it possible to be an optimist is if you have a contingency plan for when all hell breaks loose.

I'm sorry.
It's my fault.
How do I make it right?

Apologize when you screw up and focus on other people, not on yourself.