Who Moved My Cheese by Spencer Johnson is a 90-page must-read book that actually can change the way you work and view things in life
Who Moved My Cheese? is a parable written by Spencer Johnson. It’s a self-help book. I found the book title attractive, and since then, it made it into my to-read-list.
Besides, I am quite surprised by the fact that people reading this book have mixed opinions. Some like it and others hate it to be useless. I have already read this book, and here I am with an honest opinion of mine.
In this article, you will be reading the review of a high acclaimed book – Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson. There’s an individuality in the book. It allows the reader to draw their lessons from the stories in the book. Now that’s what a reader wants.
So, here’s my book view. Since the book is just a 90-page read, it’s easy to read and summarize. Let’s get started then.
The Introduction
The book is a fable describing four characters – Sniff, Scurry, Hem, and Haw. All of them live in a maze, and they all love cheese. Here “cheese” is a metaphor. It means things that you want in your life.
It could be a good job, money, health, a girlfriend, or else. When the cheese disappears, Scurry and Sniff without a second thought go out into the maze to search for new cheese.
On the contrary, Hem and Haw start complaining about the situation. Moreover, they delusionally wait for the cheese to appear instead of searching for it. They waste their time hoping that new cheese will appear magically out of nowhere.
Meanwhile, Haw realizes the situation. He learns that the uninterrupted supply of cheese has come to an end. That’s when Haw sets out into the maze in search of new cheese.
So, in the historical hunt for new cheese, Haw discovers that Sniff and Scurry are already present there.
What’s the Core Message of the Book?
Don’t get bitter and blame others for your life situations. You need to understand that life has its circumstances. And that you need to take initiatives and ready to face the consequences. Crying on spilled milk won’t bring change. You need to act accordingly.
We, humans, are lazy, and we don’t want to come out of our comfort zone. Surprisingly, we need things quickly without a scratch on our hands. Don’t do this to yourself. Stop being a spoiled brat.
Always prepare yourself for the worst life situation. Be like Sniff and Scurry. The moment the cheese supply diminished, they both set out to find a new source. They didn’t wait for miracles. Instead, they took control of the situation, analyzed it, and took the necessary steps to turn things into their favor.
Finding new cheese in the maze draws valuable life lessons. Let’s take a look at them:
Life Lesson 1 Changes are Inevitable
Life is all about changes happening day in and out. Moreover, your cheese also keeps moving. In short, priorities in your life shifts over time. Now, if you accept the change and match the pace of the moving cheese, you win.
Life Lesson 2 Forecast Changes
Sniff and Scurry anticipated changes in the movement of cheese. Hence, they were not surprised to see that everlasting cheese is no more. They accepted the change, analyzed the situation, and started hunting the next supply source.
Life Lesson 3 Prepare for Negative
Be ready to face the rough patch of your life. Hem and Haw ridiculed all the future possibilities of having cheese elsewhere. They thought their cheese supply is immortal and won’t diminish. It made both of them lazy, turning down all the good signs of new cheese. But then it was – Baam!
Life hit them hard with bad news. The problem with Hem and Haw was they counted on things to be too constant. You never know when life might hand you unfortunate news. There’s a lot of negativity also out there. Hence, prepare for future negativeness.
Life Lesson 4 Scrap Victim Mentality
When the cheese supply was over, Hem and Haw started victimizing themselves. They blamed themselves for the situation. They thought it was they who were responsible for what’s happening. Although, they never thoughtfully analyzed that there could be new cheese too. But why? Because they were busy cursing themselves.
Most humans do the same. They entitle themselves to things they shouldn’t be. In tough situations, we start blaming ourselves. However, I think it’s common. But it needs to be stopped. Stop victimizing yourself. Tell that tiny little voice in your head to stop holding you responsible for every god damn thing in your life.
Life Lesson 5 Enjoy the Change
How you react to changes in life is the first thing to realize. Now that’s entirely up to you how to get along with things when they change. Either you take it positively or negatively. The biggest obstacle is to accept the change, keep things simple, be flexible, and move on quickly.
Just flow with the flow. Don’t interrupt or resist because resistance speaks that you aren’t comfortable with the change. And that you won’t accept it at all. Acceptance is the key. Resisting the change will always leave you one step back from others. First, measure the gravity of the change and then draw a plan to get along with it.
Inspiring Quotes from the Book Who Moved My Cheese?
The following quotes are my favorite. They are from the book itself written by the legendary Spencer Johnson. I assume you will like them. Go through it.
“Having Cheese Makes You Happy”
“The more important your cheese is to you, the more you want to hold on to it.”
“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.”
“When you stop being afraid, you feel good!”
“Imagining yourself, enjoying your new cheese leads you to it.”
“The quicker you let go of old cheese, the sooner you find new cheese.”
“It is safer to search in the maze than remaining in a cheeseless situation.”
“The fear you let build up in your mind is worse than the situation that actually exists.”
“Old beliefs do not lead you to new cheese.”
“When you change what you believe, you change what you do.”
“When you see that you can find and enjoy new cheese, you change course.”
“Noticing small changes early helps you adapt to the bigger changes that are to come.”
“The fastest way to change is to laugh at your own folly – then you can let go and quickly move on.”
“A change imposed is a change opposed.”
“Life moves on and so should we”
What Do I think About the Book?
Reading this book, I observe how humans are far from perfect. This book correctly points out the same. Average human thinks that he/she is logical, smart, and incredible. Besides, they have ample reasons to believe likewise.
I don’t doubt it at all. Why we think like this is because of our accomplishments and achievements in life. Cars, rocket, machines, food, medicines are a few to name.
But in reality, we’re irrational, emotional, and mortal life species. We can get easily rooted in inefficient and self-sabotaging old habits. These habits keep us moving forward in life. The book explains and tells you how to embrace change. That’s it.
