My New Favourite Book: The Last Lecture

I must start off by saying that this was one of two books that has ever made me tear up. It is a truly inspirational novel about a father's last words to his family and his motivational words to the world (at the time he was dying of pancreatic cancer). I recommend it to anyone and everyone; there are life lessons for all to learn.

If you aren't one for reading, I recommend you watch his lecture on YouTube. It will be 1.5hrs well spent.

(Disclaimer: Do not read the rest of this post if you don't want parts of the book spoiled)

Here are some of the many parts that stuck in my mind:

"If you can dream it, you can do it." "...when there's an elephant in the room, introduce it." p. 16

p. 23 "Just because you're in the driver's seat," "doesn't mean you have to run people over."

Ch.5- The elevator in the Ranch House(Allow children to be creative, i.e., allow them to paint their room with random objects. By allowing kids to be creative, you're enabling them to explore their dreams.) (LOVE this Chapter!)

Ch.6 "head-fakes": Lessons that teaches people things they don't realise they're learning until well into the process

Ch. 13- The Man in the Convertible
p.64 "From the side, she could see that the man had a slight smile on his face, the kind of absentminded smile a person might have when he's all alone, happy in his own thoughts."
(Role down the window, blast your music and live life like no one’s watching you. Life's too short. Capture those great moments and hold onto them for dear life. Those are the moments that will get you by during the most trying times in your life. )

Ch 14 p.68 "a Dutch uncle": a person "who cares enough to tell [you] the tough-love things that [you] need to hear."(Don't we all need more people who will tell it like it is.?! Personally, I'd rather have someone tell me when I've wronged them than have an elephant in the room for an infinite amount of time.)

Ch. 15- Pouring Soda in the Backseat
(Don't sweat the small stuff. Let kids be kids. Everyone makes mistakes.)

"... The brick walls are there to stop people who don't want it badly enough. They're there to stop the other people." p. 73 They're there to "give us a chance to show how badly we want things." p. 79 (Persevere and work HARD!)

Ch. 18- Lucy, I'm Home
(Again, don't sweat the small stuff, and only fix the essentials. His parents taught him well. Refer to the car incident.)

Ch. 20 (Not all accomplishments need to be voiced. It's nice to leave suprises.)

Ch. 22 The Truth Can Set You Free

Ch. 23 & 24 (Humorous)"Give yourself permission to dream. Fuel your kids' dreams, too." p. 133

Ch. 31- (Side Note: memories of a dear family.)"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." p. 139

**Ch. 33- Treat the Disease, Not the Symptom ** (Something we all can relate to I'm sure)

Ch 34- Don’t Obsess over what People Think (Do what makes you happy)

Ch. 35- Start by Sitting Together (Great ice breakers for group work)

Ch. 37- Watch What They Do, Not What They Say (Actions speak louder than words)
"People will show you their good side. Just keep waiting. It will come out." "If you wait long enough, people will surprise and impress you." p.144

Ch. 39- Be the First Penguin"Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity." p. 147
"...the notion that when penguins are about to jump into water that might contain predators, well, somebody’s got to be the first penguin." p. 149

Ch. 40- Get People's Attention

Ch. 41- The Lost Art of Thank You Notes (People, myself included until recently, don't realise the importance of this type of note. It can make a world of difference in the way people view you. Make an effort to ensure these last touches are done right.)

Ch. 45- Send Out the Mints (Another way of thanking those around you, while motivating them.)

Ch. 46- All You Have is What you Bring with You (Be prepared for anything. Have at least one contingency plan. Plan for the worst and hope for the best.) "Hard work is compounded interest in a bank. The rewards build faster." p.165

Ch. 47- A Bad Apology is Worse Than No Apology (Agreed) "You are only as good as your words." p.163 (But back those words up with appropriate actions.)

Ch. 51- No Job is Beneath You"I had arrived in a place (Disney as an Imagineer) where my academic credentials meant nothing. I became a traveler in a foreign land who had to find a way to come up with the Local currency- fast!" "The reason I tell this story is to emphasize now sensitive you need to be when crossing from one culture to another" p. 170-1 "If you find yours footing between two cultures, sometimes you can have the best of both worlds." p. 171 (Sometime we should all strive for)

Ch. 53- Never Give Up

Ch. 55- All you Have to Do is Ask (You'll be surprised at the amount of opportunities you can gain) "Each of us must decide: Am I a fun-loving Tigger or am I a sad-sack Eeyore?" p. 180

VI Final Remarks (Prepare for waterworks!)