Who Moved My Cheese?

Written by Jenifer Chrisman on May 27, 2016.

“See what you’re doing wrong, laugh at it, change and do better.”

– Spencer Johnson, Who Moved My Cheese?

An amusing parable with life defining principles, “Who Moved My Cheese?” by Spencer Johnson is the tale of two mice, Sniff and Scurry, and two little people, Hem and Haw, who live in a maze and spend their days in the eternal search for cheese (happiness). While Sniff and Scurry simply accept that the cheese moves and get on with the search with single-minded determination, Hem and Haw spend most of their time trying to cope with the change and philosophizing about the hunt. Haw eventually moves on, surpassing his fears, and learning, in the process, that change isn’t necessarily a bad thing, while Hem remains behind, believing the cheese will someday be replaced.

One of the few consistencies in life is change. Change happens every day. We can either accept it and move on or be blinded by our fears and left in the dust. Johnson’s 7 Keys to Change are insightful and expertly handled within the story:

Change Happens – They Keep Moving The Cheese

Accept it. It is going to happen and needs to happen.

Anticipate Change – Get Ready For The Cheese To Move

Watch for it.

Monitor Change – Smell The Cheese Often So You Know When It Is Getting Old

Keep your eyes open and remain aware of when you are needing new cheese.

Adapt To Change Quickly – The Quicker You Let Go Of Old Cheese, The Sooner You Can Enjoy New Cheese

Move it or lose it. Don’t waste your time trapped in an entitlement mentality.

Change – Move With The Cheese

Believe you can change with it. Learn to find or create more cheese.

Enjoy Change! – Savor The Adventure And Enjoy The Taste Of New Cheese!

See it as an adventure. Become someone new.

Be Ready To Change Quickly And Enjoy It Again – They Keep Moving The Cheese

It will always keep moving, so don’t take it for granted.

The ability to adapt to change is especially important for those who serve in the military, as well as their families. Their lives are in a constant state of change – deployments, changes of duty station, new schools, new jobs, new friends… Their ability to adapt to the constant flux of military life has the potential to make (or break) a military career.

These simple, yet easy to understand keys are an excellent guide to dealing with change and Johnson’s entertainingly charming metaphors make “Who Moved My Cheese?” an easy, single-sitting, must read.

“Who Moved My Cheese?” available at:

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