Randy Pausch is a married father of three, a very popular professor at Carnegie Mellon University—and he is dying. - These are the opening lines about him at 2oprah.com. Last year in September 2007, he gave his “Last Lecture” He says “Last year, I agreed to give a last lecture at Carnegie Mellon University, where I’m a professor in the computer science department. A few weeks later, I learned that I had only months to live—I was dying of pancreatic cancer.”

The video and talk is available all over the internet and has been downloaded a million times.Randy says his speech is mostly about achieving childhood dreams—and living your life. A brief account of what he has to say is here.

Always Have Fun: I want this written on my tombstone: “Randy Pausch: He Lived 30 Years After a Terminal Diagnosis.”

Dream Big: Give yourself permission to dream. Fuel your kids’ dreams too. Once in a while, that might even mean letting them stay up past their bedtimes.

Ask for What You Want: Ask. More often than you’d suspect, the answer you’ll get is, “Sure.”

Dare To Take a Risk: Experience is what you get when you don’t get what you wanted. And it can be the most valuable thing you have to offer.

Look for the Best In Everybody: If you wait long enough, people will surprise and impress you. In the end, people will show you their good side. Just keep waiting. It will come out.

Make Time for What Matters: Spend quality time with people who matter to you. Time is all you have. And you may find one day that you have less than you think.

Let Kids Be Themselves: Kids, don’t try to figure out what I wanted you to become. I want you to become what you want to become. And I want you to feel as if I am there with you, whatever path you choose.