The three most important pieces of advice Stephen Hawking gave to his three children.

Stephen Hawking was one of the world’s most brilliant minds.

The author of best-selling book A Brief History of Time, which detailed the structure, origin and (eventual) fate of the universe and stayed on the British Sunday Times best-seller list for a record-breaking 237 weeks, Hawking was also known for his very public battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Watch the many memorable quotes of Stephen Hawking in the video below.

A story told in the 2014 film The Theory of Everything, Hawking was diagnosed at 21 and was not expected to live past his 25th birthday, he died yesterday at the age of 76.

But beyond this, Stephen Hawking was also a father to three children – Robert, Lucy and Timothy – who he raised with his first wife Jane.

And while Hawking's brain may have worked on an academic level some of us can only dream of, he regularly gave his kids the type of advice one can expect from any father.

Speaking to ABC News' Diane Sawyer in 2010, Hawking was asked what words of wisdom he had passed down to his children.

The Mamamia Out Loud team discuss all the things we wouldn't have if it weren't for going into space. Post continues after audio.

"Here are the most important pieces of advice" he said.

"One, remember to look up at the stars and not down at your feet.

"Two, never give up work. Work gives you meaning and purpose and life is empty without it.

"Three, if you are lucky enough to find love, remember it is rare and don't throw it away."

A day after his death, Hawking's words are especially poignant, especially to the family he leaves behind.

"We are deeply saddened that our beloved father passed away today," Robert, Lucy and Timothy shared in a statement yesterday.

"He was a great scientist and an extraordinary man whose work and legacy will live on for many years. His courage and persistence with his brilliance and humour inspired people across the world.

"He once said, 'It would not be much of a universe if it wasn't home to the people you love.' We will miss him forever."

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