Who moved my
cheese is a book written by Dr. Spencer Johnson. Dr. Johnson uses the word ‘cheese’ as a metaphor for the things that we desperately long for. He narrates a small story with four characters to drive home his point.
These amusing stories reported to have had a profound influence on several people saving their careers, marriages and even a few lives. The crux of the story is quick and timely adaptation to
change.
The book is divided into three sections. The first section is titled ‘the Gathering’, the second section, ‘Who Moved My Cheese’ is the central theme of the book and the third section is titled ‘Discussion’.
Life moves on and so should we. Everyone dislikes change and strongly resist it. However, according to the author, adaptation to change would make things easier. Because success lies in anticipating change and acting accordingly. Sometimes, when things
don’t happen as expected, it is better to change your direction. The author goes on to say that there is a difference between activity and productivity.
Most of the people cling on to the past and
fear change. Overcome fear of change and you’
ll soon be freed from this fear, says the author. Think positively and imaginatively and you’ll achieve it. Learn to leave the
old and embrace the
new. Drop your old beliefs and follow new beliefs. You’ll be surprised that your behavior also changes. A keen sense of observation and identifying changes will keep you in good stead and prepare you for the future changes.
Keep things simple, be flexible, and move quickly. Don’t overanalyze and overcomplicate matters nor confuse yourself with fearful beliefs. In other words, keep life simple and learn to deal with change. One should be adept at seeing the writing on the wall.
Change is inevitable and is bound to happen whether you like it or not. You should anticipate change and actively monitor it. In the changed situation, you should adapt to change quickly and mould yourself accordingly and enjoy the new scenario. Otherwise, when you don’t change you have to pay a price for it. These are some of the nuggets of advice from the author.
In sum, the old ‘cheese’ refers to the old behavior and new ‘cheese’ refers to the new behavior or better way of thinking and acting. We can learn several lessons from the ‘cheese’ story and apply the principles in our own situations. Enjoyable book written in simple and lucid style. A good stimulus for thought. Strongly recommended for reading. The book has foreword written by Kenneth Blanchard Ph.D.
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