Month: October 2020

“Who moved my cheese” is the story of very interesting four character. Sniff – who understand the change is going to happen. Scurry – who takes action quickly and adapt the change. Hem – who is having fears and not ready to accept the change. Haw – who is ready and learns to adapt things in time when he feels change can lead to something better. Maze represnt the world or we can say the enviorment we are living or working with. Cheese means job, money, position, love,health etc which keep ourselves happy. Uncertainty of getting success is very scary to move through the maze. We all are set with some mindset and we not want to come out of our comfort zone. We should not get into fear instead we have to think how to move on so things become easy and get success. We need to find our way in the maze and succeed in changing times.Things are changing constantly so we must adapt. The quicker we adapt a change the more satisfied will be with.

Book name : Who moved my cheese?

Author: Dr Spencer Johnson 

In the beginning of the book the author himself explains about the story that “This is about change that takes place in a maze where four amusing characters look for cheese.” Author uses a lot of metaphors to explain life lessons. “The maze in the story represents where you spend time looking for what you want” and “cheese represents what we want to have in life.” Many real life examples and connections were also made with this story. 

This book is divided into 3 parts: in the first part, former classmates meet for lunch and talk about their lives. In the discussion All of them shared how their lives were changed. In second part one of them named Michael shared this cheese story. To make them understand how important it is to accept changes in our lives before it’s too late. 

Characters of the Michael story were two mice, Name “Sniff” and”Scurry” and two little people named “Hem” & “Haw”. These little people ware small as mice but they think like humans. In their life they need to go to the maze and find the cheese. Maze was scary and very easy to get lost in. Little people need special cheese which they think makes them happy. Here the author makes good connections with our lives that we always want special cheese which makes us happy. We need to learn how we can be happy without having cheese. 

Mice were proactive on the other hand little people were not ready to accept the change. When little people got to know that their cheese moved they were not ready to accept change. “Hem” always said “This is not fair & why this happened to me” but when Haw understood the situation he moved on and moved alone in the maze to find cheese. He was afraid but still he was trying and I like this part whatever he was learning during finding cheese he was writing on wall his life lessons. Here are some ” If you do not change you can become extinct” “Old beliefs do not lead you to new cheese”. 

Author shared the story about these little people and mice but in the same book in third part at the end he made a real life connection with it. All classmates were again met after listening to the story and made connections with their lives which characters they were in their life.

According to me in my life I am all of these characters as per situation but most of time as per my parenting roots I am always ready for change and after reading this story mantry of my life is always ready for the change and do not afraid about it. 

Title of the book: Who moved my cheese?

Author: Dr Spencer Johnson

The genre of the book: Self-help

Why was this title selected: The title “Who moved my cheese “is an allegory which the author has used to talk about real-life issues and send a broad message to the reader.

Key Characters of the book: Two mice Sniff and Scurry and Little people Ham and Hew. The names of the little people are metaphors which are taken from the phrase “hem and haw” which represents indecisiveness.

The setting of the book: Maze which has Cheese Station C and Station N where is a supply for cheese for mice and little people. The maze represents the environment where you spend time looking for what you want and Cheese is a metaphor for what we want in life. e.g. job, relationship, money, freedom, health etc. Station C is where we are today and Station N represents change. The characters represent us.

Sections of the book: The book is divided into three sections.

1. Gathering

2. The story Who moved my cheese?

3. A Discussion

The plot of the book: The book is a parable which involves four characters who live in a Maze. They are two little mice Sniff and Scurry and two little people Hem and Haw. They were living happily in the maze with the cheese they got to nourish themselves. Every day they would spend time in the maze looking for their cheese. Sniff and Scurry used simple techniques to search while the little people with their complex brain used sophisticated methods to search for cheese. All was going well as all four of them had found Cheese Station C where they were getting a daily supply of cheese. Hem and Haw had moved their house very close to this station and had dreams of their own as they thought they have their life settled. They never noticed that the cheese supply at Station C is getting reduced day by day. They feel devastated when they see no cheese one day. There is no effect of this on the two mice. Sniff and Scurry immediately accept the change and move on in the maze searching for new cheese. The little people feel that the situation is unfair with them and there is some scandal and they decide to wait for new stock of cheese. They even try to make a hole in Station C but couldn’t find cheese. The days pass by and they are left hungry and weak. They were still clinging to the fact that new cheese will come one day. While the mice were away and had found their new cheese. It takes time but one of the little people Haw realizes that he has to overcome his fears and move in the maze and search for new cheese. Haw used his imagination to paint the picture of cheese with realistic details and decides to get of his comfort zone and adapt to change. He gets discouraged at times while moving in the maze but laughs at his own folly to move ahead. He realizes that Ham and Hew never paid attention to the decreasing stock at Station C otherwise they could have analyzed the situation a little early. While moving in the maze in search of new cheese Haw writes the lesson learnt in the journey which would also help Hem to follow him if he decides to. At last, Haw finds the new stock of cheese at Station N where he sees Sniff and Scurry already present. Haw summarizes all his lessons learnt on the wall of Station N with cheese in the centre.

Your personal opinion about the book: Life requires a high level of risk and adventure. The most important things are that change is inevitable. This books motivates us to accept change, adapt to change and change oneself. We have to come out of our comfort zone, accept our fears and move forward. It is rightly said in the book “Move with the cheese”.

Have you read something like this before? Can you talk about that experience ?: I was able to relate the book “Feel the fear and do it anyway”. This book also talks about overcoming your fear. Even the book “FISH” is relatable.

Should people read this book ?: A must-read for everyone. I have already purchased the book and I recommend you all to keep a copy of this book with you. I had read this book but re-reading has given a different insight.

Key takeaways: I am writing down the lines from the book which Haw wrote on the wall of Station “N”. They should be read every day is what I feel.

1. Change Happens

2. Anticipate change

3. Monitor change

4. Adapt to change quickly

5. Change

6. Enjoy Change

7. Be ready to change quickly and enjoy it again and again

Based on the present situation in the world and government decisions around us we need to start searching for Station “N”. Change before it is time to change.

Regards,

Bhargavi.

The story tries to highlights varied personality traits human beings possess. The analogy of cheese with the intended desires of humans be it material possessions, quest for healthy life style, elevate spiritual awareness etc the maze is the source which will facilitate you to find your cheese, that is means to accomplish your pre established goals. Every human is chasing their cheese , however the entity cheese holds different meaning for different people. Whether we are successful in grabbing the cheese and savour its taste entirely depends on the courage to peer anxiously through the maze. Here the analogy of maze being a labyrinth of corridors and chambers and sometimes leading to alley or black hole and being in a consistent  fear to lose one’s way out is similar to myriads of obstacles which we face when we are on our journey to accomplish our goals. The four characters sniff, scurry , hem and ham are the dominant ways of thinking humans resort to when they are exposed to an uncertain and unpredictable situation. Sniff and scurry were observant to notice that the amount of cheese is getting depleted at cheese station C. However Hem and Haw became so contented that they believed they will not have to ever expend efforts to toiling hard through the maze and they claimed this cheese will suffice and will nourish them for the entire life. However the situation changed for no good , one good morning the cheese disappeared from Cheese Station C . Scurry and Sniff were aware of this inevitable situation and acted instinctively.
They get back to their running gears as quickly as they can and ventured into the adventure and in search of another Cheese station. After strenuous efforts they found cheese station H which contained the cheese not only abundance of cheese which they never found prior but also the variety of cheese available startled them . Their excitement need to description. On the contrary Haw and Hem cursed , hollered and kept thinking how destiny is not fair to them. They thought they are entitled to the cheese as they once toiled hard to search this treasure. They waited for a miracle to happen and daily visited Cheese station C with an expectation that someone might have placed the cheese back. However ever day they returned with disappointment. The anguish, frustration and restlessness was evident . They both turned emaciated due to lack of nutrition for several days. However they were not willing to change their attitude and feared venturing and exploring the maze again in search of new cheese station. They were not wanting to leave their comfort zone. Haw laughed at their folly and decided to explore the maze again. First the fear of being caught in the alleys and black holes kept him immobilized , however he still mustered the courage and went ahead with the expedition. He already became week as he was starving for so many days and realized  this new search will be more painful than usual. But after he actually acted upon his fear he experienced it wasn’t that difficult either.

Haw reflected on his way to find a new cheese station. He realized how his fears had clouded him and inhibited him to begin an action of finding out a new cheese. He realized how over analysis and over complicated thoughts and beliefs hold his fears. He suddenly realized the cheese did not disappear immediately as he perceived it prior. However the depletion in the amount was a continual process which he and Hem did not took a notice of. He gathered observing small changes will help one anticipate big changes and adapt to it quickly .If one does not adopt within a time frame then they cant adapt at all. Haw gained energy by realizing that he has shrugged off the burden of fear from his shoulders and is now more flexible to change. He realized rather than me complaining who moved my cheese?? I could have moved with cheese . The invigorating power which haw  received is through his critical reflection on his prior beliefs. Changes will occur naturally and we need to adapt to the changes quickly. Questioning and lamenting on the changes that  has already occurred  is only making you paralyzed . Rather than questioning why the change occurred , it is indeed great to come up with the strategies and tools which will help us deal with the change effectively and help us update and broaden the vision. Also haw imagined what he realistically aim for. He always imagined him sitting amidst the heaps of his favorite cheese and savoring the taste of it. He encountered several set backs and was prompted to think will he ever be able to find a new cheese?? When soever he encountered this dilemma he just asked one question What would I do If I am not afraid?? This question propelled him further and alas he found a new cheese station N which contained the variety of  cheese in abundant amount  which was never found prior. He was startled to find this new location . He then became alert and decided to investigate the change in this new location and also simultaneously explored other corridors. He decided not to confine himself within this comfort zone and not let arrogance of success dominate him  and allow him  to take a sigh of relief  you never know some  danger and a dire need to change is lurking in the background trying to convey an implied message to take an immediate action.

Regards,

Kinjal Morkhia