Have you ever wondered if there was an amazing way to deal with change in your work and in your life? If yes, then, “Who Moved My Cheese?” by Dr Spencer Johnson is exactly what you need. What attracted me to read this book was the title. It offered food for thought and made me curious. Also, the fact that it was a small book with only about 96 pages helped a lot!
Change- the ever constant star in the horizon of our lives- is inevitable. Every individual has a different approach to deal with this change. While some sit back, blame God and pity their luck; some simply refuse to adapt to change. But there are others who are always ready and are quick on their feet to make the most of the change.
This book starts with A Gathering of several former schoolmates over lunch. Their conversation leads to work and relationships. Everyone was trying to cope with the unexpected changes that were happening to them in recent years. And most of them admitted that they did not know a good way to handle them. That is when, Michael, narrated to them this story.
A story about four characters- two mice, Sniff and Scurry, and two “Littlepeople” named Hem and Haw, living in a maze and looking for cheese to nourish them and make them happy.Cheese is a metaphor for what one wants in life- a good job, healthy life, a loving relationship or money. And maze is where one looks for the cheese- workplace, family or community.
The mice with their simple brain and good instincts and the Littlepeople with their complex brains, filled with many beliefs and emotions, searched for cheese everyday.
The mice showed the same vigour and enthusiasm everyday while the Littlepeople awoke each day a little later, dressed a little slower and grew ignorant to the consequences once they found cheese.
The writings on the wall of the maze made by Haw makes one easily understand how change affects one’s life. After reading each writing on the wall, I smiled to myself thinking about its obvious simplicity and straightforward nature.
- Having Cheese Makes You Happy
- If You Do Not Change, You Can Become Extinct
- Smell The Cheese Often So You Know When It’s Getting Old
- Movement In A New Direction Helps You Find New Cheese
- The Quicker You Let Go Of The Old Cheese, The Sooner You Find New Cheese
- It Is Safer To Search In The Maze Than Remain In A Cheeseless Situation
- Noticing Small Changes Early Helps You Adapt To The Bigger Changes That Are To Come
- Move With The Cheese And Enjoy It
This book revolutionizes one’s outlook to change and with this new attitude, success in today’s changing times in definitely assured. Irrespective of age, gender and caste, this book is surely to help one and all. It may seem like reading a school book initially because of its simple language and effortless flow but that is precisely the beauty of this book. It makes one understand the situation and the solution easily and thus, helps in transforming one’s attitude towards change.
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