Who Moved My Cheese

An Amazing Way To Deal With Change In

Your Work And In Your Life
By Dr. Spencer Johnson

Summary by: http://i-read2u.blogspot.com/

There are 4 characters in this story; Sniff and
Scurry, and Hem and Haw, whom we might
recognize as ourselves when dealing with
changes. Their actions reflect how we might
have reacted when faced with similar
situation.
Sniff and Scurry are two little mice with simple
mind and thinking process. Their mission is to
‘FIND’ cheese.
Hem and Haw are little people, with
complicated mind and thinking
process. Their mission is also to
‘FIND’ cheese.
At first, all of them are very hardworking. They woke up early every morning,
scurrying around the maze looking for cheese. They normally found bits and pieces
of cheese here and there until one day they found a room full of cheese. They
couldn’t believe their eyes….. And quickly the four of them sat down to devour the
cheese to their hearts content. Sniff and Scurry hang their running shoes around
their necks while Hem and Haw discard their shoes in the room.

After finding the room full of cheese, they went there every day. Day after day they
followed the same routine. Hem and Haw started to get lazy, going there a bit late
day after another because they thought the cheese will always be there.

However, one day they came to the room finding no more cheese left. Sniff and
Scurry were already there, sniffing and scurrying here and there, going round
and round the room wondering where the cheese have gone to. After being sure
they can find no more cheese there, Sniff and Scurry decided to go back into
the maze to look for new cheese.

They put on their running shoes and look at Hem and Haw,
wondering whether they are going to follow them. Hem and
Haw waved them telling they are going to wait in the room,
hoping the cheese will reappear the next day.
So Sniff and Scurry started their journey in the maze, diligently looking from one place after
another, day after another, until one day they found a new room full of cheese. They are so
happy with their findings after working so hard to find new cheese. So they sat there and
started to eat to their hearts’ desire.

Meanwhile, Hem and Haw still go the empty room every day hoping they will find new cheese
there. They complaint to each other, ‘how can they do this to us?”, “where is our cheese?”, “it
is not fair… we found the cheese, how can they take it away from us?”…. And so on. They are
also becoming very weak because they had nothing to eat for days.

One day, Haw suggested to Hem maybe they should go out and look for new cheese in the
maze. “Maybe Sniff and Scurry have found new cheese by now”. Hem quickly asked
whether Haw is crazy. “It is too dangerous out there… we might not find any cheese for
days, and there might be trap somewhere in the maze.” Haw sat there thinking about what
Hem said and started to waver in his decision. So they sat there again for days hoping to get
new cheese. Whenever Haw started thinking about going out into the maze, Hem will
quickly remind him of the danger out there.
However, one day Haw realized that they couldn’t possibly get
new cheese by staying in the room anymore. So he looked for
his running shoes, and after failing to persuade Hem to follow
him, he started his journey into the unknown.He found bits and
pieces of cheese here and there to sustain him but no big
cheese.
Along his journey, he kept thinking of his own behavior and
decided to write down along the wall all the lessons he learnt
from it. He hoped that Hem will finally decided to follow him
and found his tracks all along the maze’s wall.

Having Cheese Makes You

Happy
The More Important Your Cheese
Is To You, The More You Want
To Hold Onto It.
 If You Do Not Change, You Can
Become Extinct

Haw also realized that he might eventually die if he remained in the empty room. At
least now he managed to find small pieces of cheese here and there to keep him alive.
 What Would You Do If You
Weren’t Afraid?

There are times when Haw feels frightened of the unknown. But when he asked this
question, he found a new strength in himself.
 Smell The Cheese Often So You
Know When It Is Getting Old

Haw realized that if he look carefully around him when they still had the big cheese,
he’ll noticed the cheese getting smaller and it didn’t taste very good after some time.
 Movement In A New Direction
Helps You Find New Cheese

Haw still couldn’t find a big and new cheese, but he feels happy with his decision.
 When You Move Beyond Your
Fear, You Feel Free.

Now Haw feels more alive because he knew he is taking charge of his situation.
 Imagining Myself Enjoying New
Cheese Even Before I Find It,
Leads Me To It.

Whenever he feels doubtful, he will imagine getting the biggest cheese in the world and this
will keep him moving.
The Quicker You Let Go Of Old
Cheese, The Sooner You Find
New Cheese.
 It Is Safer To Search In The Maze
Than To Remain In A Cheese-less
Situation.

He did wonder about Hem sometimes… hoping he will finally change his mind and look for
new cheese in the maze.
Old Beliefs Do Not Lead You To
New Cheese.

One day Haw heard something in one of the direction in the

maze. Upon inspecting, he saw his friend Sniff and Scurry,
and a room full of so many kinds of cheese. Sniff and Scurry
greeted him and continue stuffing themselves with cheese.
When You See That You Can
Find And Enjoy New Cheese,
You Change Course.

Without wasting any more time, Haw immediately sat down to

eat the most delicious cheese he has ever found for some time.
He did not discard his running shoes but hang it around his
neck like Sniff and Scurry. He realized that he might have to
look for new cheese again. He did think about finding Hem
and bringing him here to enjoy the new cheese, but he knew
that Hem must make his own decision. He has left enough
tracks for Hem to follow ‘if’ he decided to follow.
 Noticing Small Changes Early
Helps You Adapt To The Bigger
Changes That Are To Come.

Haw also knew that he might have found the new cheese
sooner if he had gone out into the maze earlier. But then,
‘Better late then never!’
We must always be ready to face changes because
it happens all the time in our career and personal
life. It could be:-
•a new job, or
•an old job but a different attitude, or
•a new relationship, or
•an old relationship with new attitude.
Being adaptable to changes will make us happy.
Change Happens
They Keep Moving The Cheese
Anticipate Change
Get Ready For The Cheese To Move
Monitor Change
Smell The Cheese Often So You Know When It Is Getting Old
Adapt To Change Quickly
The Quicker You Let Go Of Old Cheese, The Sooner You Can
Enjoy New Cheese
Change
Move With The Cheese
Enjoy Change
Savor The Adventure And Enjoy The Taste Of New Cheese
Be Ready To Change Quickly And
Enjoy It Again
They Keep Moving The Cheese
Move With The Cheese And Enjoy It!
 LINKS:
http://www.whomovedmycheese.com/
http://www.amazon.com/Who-Moved-Cheese-Spencer-
Johnson/dp/0091883768/

Summary by: http://i-read2u.blogspot.com/