Reader Friday: Wanting It

randy_pausch1_21060sThe brick walls are there for a reason. The brick walls are not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something. Because the brick walls are there to stop the people who don’t want it badly enough. They’re there to stop the other people.

–– Randy Pausch (author of The Last Lecture)

Do you relate?

11 thoughts on “Reader Friday: Wanting It

  1. Thank you very much, Jim, for this wonderful reminder! Randy Pausch is one of the most inspiring writers, adventurers and creators. I am definitely at several brick walls right now and trying oyt various hammers. 😉 Reading Randy’s words again boosted even more energy into me. THANKS!

      • I like all the interpretations of “oyt”. 😀 What a great idea to call for action here, Jim. The whole exchange made me laugh. Thanks!

        My suspicion is that the Russian “y” pronounced as “u” in “out” slipped somehow into my typing. It doesn’t happen often, since my mother tongue is Romanian, the best language currently spoken is German and the favourite for writing is English. But I guess my primary education at kindergarten, school and university in Russian have induced also Cyrillic letters and their pronunciation into my writing. 😉

  2. The brick walls are definitely there. I’ve smashed my head several times before they let me through. But then looking at the results, I’ve said, “Oyt! I get it now.”

  3. I love Randy Pausch’s The Last Lecture. I’ve used his line about being a ‘recovering jerk’ more than once.

    His infectious joy for life permeated the pages and is tremendously inspirational.

  4. I love the analogy of the brick wall. It describes the publishing and promoting process I am experiencing. Clearly, I want it, because I’m still banging away!

    Thanks for the inspiration and the motivation to persevere!

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