if you had one last lecture to give before you died, what would it be?

Randy Pausch's Oprah lecture (ten minutes):

It is an easy time to dream when we are young (and happy) and we should never lose that spirit.

Experience is what you get if you don’t get what you wanted.

When people drive you hard, they care about you. They want you to be better.

When you are doing a bad job and no one points it out to you, that is when they have given up on you.

Brick walls are there for a reason: they let us prove how badly we want things.

Good parents are instrumental for us to achieve our childhood dreams.

The importance of people versus things (people come first, always!).

Never ever underestimate the importance of having fun. Choose to have fun today, tomorrow, and every day thereafter.

Work and play well with others: (1) tell the truth, (2) apologize (properly), (3) wait, and people will show their good sides.

Tell the truth – integrity.

A good apology has three parts. (a) I am sorry, (b) it was my fault, (c) how do I make it right. Most people neglect the third part and fail to demonstrate sincerity.

Be patience. No one is pure evil.

Show gratitude.

Don’t complain, just work harder.

If you lead your life the right way, if you live properly, the dreams will come to you.

The whole lecture at Carnegie Mellon (an hour and fifteen minutes):

(some points are repeated)

Loyalty is a two-way street.

Never give up.

You get people to help you by telling the truth. Being earnest. I'll take an earnest person over a hip person every day, because hip is short term. Earnest is long term.

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

Get a feedback loop and listen to it. ... Anybody can get chewed out. It's the rare person who says, oh my god, you were right. ... When people give you feedback, cherish it and use it.

Show gratitude.

Don't complain. Just work harder.

Be good at something, it makes you valuable.

Work hard.

Find the best in everybody. ... No one is all evil. Everybody has a good side; just keep waiting, it will come out.

And be prepared. Luck is truly where preparation meets opportunity.