“Who moved my cheese?” book discussion and lessons.

Who Moved My Cheese, a bestseller by Spencer Johnson published in 1998, is a parable about the inevitability of change, the ways in which we typically deal with it, and how revising our attitude toward change can reduce stress and increase success.

Johnson uses cheese as a metaphor for what you want in life, such as a well-paid job, a loving relationship, possessions, or a healthier body. The maze is the environment we live in, such as our workplace, our friends, family.

Two characters, Sniff and Scurry, are mice who take an industrious, uncomplicated trial-and-error approach to finding cheese. They don’t overthink things, instead trying out various routes until one day they find a large store of cheese. The other two characters, Hem and Haw, are little humans who apply more sophisticated thinking and analytical skills to the daily search. They, too, find the same large stockpile of cheese as the mice.

But the two have very different attitudes toward their situation. The humans Hem and Haw take the cheese for granted, assuming it will always be there. By contrast, the mice stay alert to their surroundings. They notice that the quality and supply of the cheese are slowly dwindling.

The simple-minded mice don’t overthink things. They quickly accept the changed situation for what it is, not cursing the world or the environment for its unfairness. They adapt to the change and immediately head out to look for new cheese. In contrast, the humans Hem and Haw are shocked to lose the cheese. They had felt entitled to it, and they curse the world for its unfairness.

It’s easy to draw parallels from the story to unsettling changes in our own lives — for instance, changes in a job, relationship, or health. The characters’ flaws and successes reflect our own tendencies when confronting change: Like Haw, we may resist, complain, and deny change because we’ve become complacent or afraid. Or we can be like Sniff and Scurry, staying on our toes, preparing for future change, not overanalyzing things, and being ready to adapt without fear.

7 Life Lessons:

Lesson #1 Adapt to change with open mind.

You have to be ready for the way the world is evolving.

The majority of people aren’t prepared for change, which can also make everything around you seem to be falling apart.

Consider taking the time to observe the indications of change in your surroundings, whether it be in your home or place of work. To deal with the changes, for example, you can acquire new talents and create a plan. The cheese stockpile was growing older and less in quantity, as Scurry and Mice Sniff observed in the Who moved my Cheese narrative. Next, they stocked up on running shoes in preparation for searching for a fresh supply.

Lesson #2 Move past the past and forward

Consider this: do you spend your time in your hotel room attempting to manage all of the emotions that come with being in a new city? Or do you go exploring outside? Getting up and going somewhere new is all about learning something new, so if you’re like most people, you want to get out there and explore!

You can choose to adjust to the new circumstances or stick to your old habits when anything in your life changes, such as losing your job or moving far from friends. It will be less difficult for you to adapt if you select the latter.

Lesson #3 Be flexible and receptive to fresh ideas.

When working on a project with someone else, it’s critical that you both be open to hearing each other out without becoming defensive or closing down when someone says something you didn’t expect.

It may be necessary to give up some old routines or habits if your team members or fellow employees aren’t feeling well in order for them to feel comfortable offering recommendations or thoughts in an environment free from familiarity.

Consider yourself in a new city, wanting to sample the food that is served there. Even though you might know what you want before you walk into the restaurant, it’s doubtful that it will be on the menu. Rather, you must consider what they do have with an open mind and determine whether or not you would like it.

Lesson #4 Imagine success

There are moments when we can’t move on because our minds are too preoccupied with all of the “what ifs” and “how on earth will I ever do this”s that come with facing difficulties. Rather than concentrating on what we can accomplish well, we begin to consider what can go wrong.

However, that can be avoided! You can feel better about yourself and create the conditions for truly achieving your goals by visualizing success. As evidenced by studies, using visualization techniques can even enhance athletic performance!

After you’ve imagined what success might entail for you, either personally or professionally, the following step is easy: Put it into action!

Lesson #5 Face your anxieties.

Moreover, fear can either drive you to take action or scare you away. Should you be fearful that something would worsen if you do nothing, the former may prompt you to act right away. In addition to improving your self-esteem and productivity, the second is advantageous.

There are numerous ways that fear manifests. Fears include loneliness, rejection, failure, and even achievement. Whatever the source of the fear, it’s critical to keep in mind that it is merely an emotion.

Taking this feeling head-on is the best approach to get over it. Consider what may occur if you failed if failure scares you. Absolutely nothing! That would put you back at the beginning. If your fear is rejection, consider what may occur if someone disapproved of your work. You may still try again with someone else, and they wouldn’t disclose anything to anybody else. So forth!

Haw’s major motivation for not wanting to venture out into the maze to find new cheese was fear. He also understood that if he stayed where he would not find any. He questioned, “What would you do if you weren’t afraid?”

Lesson #6 Gaining acceptance of change

Every one of us has gone through the process of change multiple times in our life. We’ve switched careers, jobs, friends, schools, and even how we look. But because it can occasionally be challenging and stressful, we do not always like this process.

However, if you learn to welcome change, doors that were previously closed will open up, and these doors are full with chances for enjoyment and personal development!

Lesson #7 Be ready for ongoing change

The world is evolving more quickly than before.

As a matter of fact, it’s challenging to keep up with the velocity of change.

Your friend who moved across the nation is standing in front of you when you text them the day after you make a phone chat with them! It resembles magic! Suddenly, video calls — which are much better than phone calls — replace your phone calls.

With how quickly things are changing, it’s impossible to ignore them all. However, how would I explain to you that there’s another perspective? Maybe the reason wasn’t only because things change so quickly. Alternatively, what if we could learn to welcome constant change?

Who Moved My Cheese is a brief, entertaining read that may teach anyone how to better navigate the challenges we face every day. The finest aspect? This book can be beneficial to you even if you are not going through a difficult moment right now. Who Moved My Cheese will teach you how to approach things (and people) better, no matter what you’re going through. This will help you succeed in whatever you do in the end. Since life is full of change, it is preferable to accept it rather than try to avoid it.