I first met Randy Pausch at CHI 2005 where he was the speaker at the Opening Plenary (CHI2005 Opening Plenary)and where I was one of the student volunteers. Today, I came across his lecture titled "How to Achieve Your Childhood Dreams" in one of the blogs I am following (Catalyze).

It is a gift to listen to Pausch again. That depth of faith, tenacity and creativity even in the face of his approaching death challenged my current struggles in defining my professional career. What is a well-lived life?

One of the things underlying Pausch's achievements is his deep faith in people: "wait long enough and people will surprise and impress you." Can I hold on to this kind of faith even if I don't get the same?

"The brick walls are there for a reason," Pausch tells us to explain what tenacity means. "They are not there to keep us out. They let us prove how badly we want things." How badly do I want something and the opportunities to make a difference through it?

His primary prop at the CHI2005 plenary was crayons. He believes deeply in opening up that childhood urge to write and doodle on walls. His parents let him write mathematical formulas on the walls. They didn't worry about the resale value of the house.

Pausch concludes his "last lecture" with these words: "It's not about how to achieve your dreams. It's about how you live your life. If you live your life the right way, the karma will take care of itself. The dreams will come to you."

May your gifts to this world live long, Randy Pausch.

Direct link to the WSJ.com video of Randy Pausch's lecture.

Full video of the lecture is at Carnegie Mellon's Entertainment Technology Center.