Who Moved My Cheese? – by Dr. Spencer Johnson

Who Moved My Cheese was awarded Amazon’s best selling book of all time and has sold over 26 million copies worldwide. It’s a parable about two mice and two people searching for Cheese in a Maze. ‘Cheese’ represents the things we want in life and the things that make us happy, and the ‘Maze’ is when we’re trying to find exactly what it is that we want. The book is a little cheesy (excuse the pun), but the messages are widely applicable. Everyone faces change, be that in their job, their relationships, their health or their financial situation, so everyone needs to be prepared to accept change, expect change, take control and move on.

‘An A-maze-ing way to deal with change in your work and your life’

It’s a very short and simple book, definitely worth the read.

Who Moved My Cheese? (dot point) Summary

‘An amazing way to deal with change in your work and in your life’

Sniff who sniffs out change early

Scurry who scurries into action

Hem who denies and resists change as he fears it will lead to something worse

Haw Who learns to adapt in time when he sees changing can lead to something better

We need to find out way through the maze and succeed in changing times.

• Not all change is good or even necessary, but in a world of constant change it is our advantage to learn how to adapt and enjoy something better

Started in the maze looking for their own special cheese. Maze was a labyrinth of corridors and chambers, some containing delicious cheese. There were also dark alleys leading nowhere

• One day they found great cheese at cheese station C.
• Hem and Haw started getting comfortable waking later, sleeping in and putting there boots up.
• Hem and Haw soon regarded the cheese as their cheese, as if they were entitled to it.

Sniff and Scurry noticed the cheese was starting to not taste as good and the supply was going to dwindle in time. Sniff and Scurry took off back into the maze straight away.

Hem and Haw one day had not noticed the changes in cheese, one day they got back to C and yelled “what no cheese! Who moved my cheese?… It’s not fair!”

One day Haw wanted to move on, but Hem said ‘why should we change? We are special, we are entitled to these benefits. Overanalyzed the cheese not moving

They stayed later, worked harder, banged holes through the walls but still no cheese.

Haw one day stuck his head out into the maze, wondering how he got himself into the cheeseless situation. Why didn’t I get up and move with the cheese sooner?

Haw thought what would you do if you weren’t afraid?

He realized it was the fear that froze himself away from the action.

He went out, then realized the maze wasn’t as scary as he thought it would be

He promised himself he would stay alert and expect change to happen and look for it.

“Smell the cheese often so you know when it’s getting old ”

“Haw realized when you change what you believe you change what you do ”

Haw learned from Sniff and Scurry to not over complicate things . They kept life simple. When the cheese changed they moved with the cheese.

Haws Summary

Change happens – they keep moving with the cheese

Anticipate change – Get ready for the cheese to move

Monitor change – Smell the cheese so you know it’s getting old

Adapt to change quickly – the quicker you let go of old change the sooner you can enjoy new cheese

Change – Move with the cheese

Enjoy the change – Savor the adventure and enjoy the new cheese

Be ready to change quickly and enjoy it again and again – They keep moving with the cheese