Who Moved My Cheese?

The Story Of Who Moved My Cheese? is written by Dr. Spencer Johnson to help him deal with difficult and different changes in the life.

The Book is divided in 3 parts 

1. A Gathering

2. The Story Who Moved My Cheese 

3. Discussion - In discussion people who have gathered will discuss how to use the take away from the story in their personal and work life.

In a gathering all college mate meet each other at the alumnus function and decide to meet again next day to cherish the old memories of school days. Everyone meet !!  Each one of them discuss about their life stories. All of them were facing one similar problem "Change" , changes taking place in their life every now and than making life difficult, it was very difficult to adapt to those changes. Looking at everyone's situation one person (Michael) among them was very happy with changes. Group wanted to know the story behind his success. Michael replied "I" would be happy to share. 

Story: Who Moved My Cheese..!!

Here Cheese is a 'metaphor' of  Life. and  Maze is the path of life through which we travel.

The story revolves around four characters 

1.Sniff    : Who sniffs of change early

2.Scurry : Who scurries into action

3.Hem    : Who denies and resists change as he fears it will lead to something worse

4.Haw    : Who learns to adapt in time when he sees changing can lead to something better.!

Sniff and Scurry are the two mice and Hem and Haw are two littlepeople of same height as mice.

Every day the mice and the littlepeople spend most of the time in maze looking for special cheese.

The mice,sniff and scurry, possessing good instincts and simple brain used to search for hard nibbling cheeses as mice always do. The two littlepeople with sophisticated brain used to look for special cheese using there complex brain. 

Everyday these was the same story in the morning 4 of them used to run into the maze looking for their type of cheese. sniff and scurry used to wake up early in morning and run through the maze and to find the cheese and Ham and Haw use to wake up late and then ran into the maze. Sniff use to sniff and tell the direction of cheese and scurry use to run and look for it. One fine day they found what they were looking out for "The Cheese Station- C". the two littlepeople also found the station C but little late.

Four of them were astonished by looking at the size of the cheese as it was so Very huge that looked like it is enough for the life time for Hem and Haw. Hem and Haw were so impressed by the cheese that they built there house near the cheese station C and started living. But sniff and scurry continued to wake up early in morning and race through the maze always following the same route to cheese station C. Hem and Haw were very happy and every morning woke up and spend most the time near cheese station and were very relaxed stopped running through the maze believed that this cheese was enough for there life on the other hand sniff and scurry used to do same thing everyday and after reaching cheese station C firstly inspect the cheese. Sniff and Scurry weren't not surprised as they had noticed that supply of cheese was getting low and prepared for inevitable and knew instinctively what to do next.

Hem and Haw ignored and took the situation for granted that their cheese would be there forever. later after few days when they saw there was no cheese left at the cheese station both of them were unprepared for the Change. Both of them stated yelling no cheese !! no cheese !!

Who Moved My Cheese? they hollered.

The littlepeople couldn't believe it. Both of them were discouraged and went back home hungry.

Next day Hem and Haw left home and returned to cheese station to look for the cheese where they still expected return of cheese. Hem ignored the situation and believed that cheese was moved suddenly. Hem started to analyse the situation over and over. Finally Haw opened his eyes and saw Sniff and Scurry were not here. When Haw told to Hem about it Hem told they were just mice they just respond to what happens and we are more smart than them he told to Haw.

Haw told told we are smarter but things are changing around here and told we need to change and do things differently. 

Why should we Change? asked Hem we are littlepeople and we are special. 

Haw suggested "may be we should stop analysing the situation so much and go find some Cheese?

Oh no Hem argued "I" am going to get to the bottom of this, who moved my cheese.

Hem and haw were still deciding what to do, Sniff and Scurry were already well on the their way to find the cheese, they did not think anything else except to get the cheese. They did not find any for some time except for small small pieces of cheese until they reached the "The Cheese Station N" they squealed with delight. They found what they were looking for a great new supply of cheese.

In the meantime Hem and Haw were busy at the station c analysing their situation. Both of them were frustrated and angry. Haw thought about his mice friend and wondered if they had found any cheese yet. Haw could imagine of new cheese at different station but Hem quickly responded I like it here and It's more comfortable and beside's it is dangerous out there "I" afraid "I" getting too old and "I" am not interested in getting lost in the maze and make a fool of myself. Are you ?

Hem's fear of failing returned and his hope of finding New cheese faded. So everyday littlepeople continued the same thing but Haw used to think of mice everyday and finally decided to run through the maze and asked his friend Hem to come along but Hem refused and asked Haw also not to go but Haw had made his mind and stared to run through the maze but before he started he wrote on the wall of maze.

Haw started to feel the positivity within him and ran through the maze to find the cheese but could not find. He smiled at his situation and kept running through the maze in the journey he found little cheese but nothing lasted for long. But Haw didn't feel confident enough yet, He had to admit that maze was very confusing things seemed to change when last time he was here in the maze. Later Haw looked back on things, he realised that cheese at cheese station had not disappeared overnight as he believed once. Haw now realized that change probably would not have taken him by surprise if he had had been watching what was happening all along and if he had anticipated change. He decided he would stay more alert from now on .

He stopped and wrote on the wall :

Sometimes later, Haw came across a huge cheese station,which looked promising. When he went inside, however he was disappointed to discover that the cheese station was empty. This empty feeling felt like giving up and going back to cheese station C , He asked himself the same question what will he do going back there without cheese it's better to run through the maze and find cheese. He wrote this on wall:

Haw looked down the dark passageway and was aware of his fear. What lay ahead? Was it empty? or worse He scared himself to death and than laughed at himself. and started to run down the maze with a smile. Haw started to enjoy himself more and more. why do I feel so good he wondered. "I" don't have any cheese and I don't know where I am going but he knew why he felt good and stopped and wrote on wall.

Haw realized he had been held captive by his own fear. Moving in a new direction had freed him and he felt the cool breeze and imagined of new cheese which made him ran in the maze with greater strength and agility. stopped and wrote on wall:

 He entered the cheese station with great speed and found empty he than realised that if he had started earlier would very likely found a good deal of new cheese. Haw decided to go back and see if hem was ready to join him. As he retraced his steps, he stopped and wrote on wall:

Hem appreciated his friends gesture but said I don't think I would like New Cheese it's not I am used to. I want my own cheese back and I am not going to change until I get what I want.

Haw just shook his head and went back into the maze with disappointment and when he reached at the farthest point of the maze he missed his friend, but realized he liked what he was doing and what he was discovering running into the maze.

His old thinking was clouded by his worries and fears. And ran in the maze in search of New Cheese.

he wrote on wall:

He had not found new cheese but as he ran into the maze he thought about what he had already learned. You believe that change will harm you or you believe change will embrace you it all depends on what you choose to believe.

He used to imagine and saw himself finding New Cheese and kept running in maze and found small and little pieces of cheese and kept running for big one

By now Haw had let go his past and started to adapting present. He continued to maze with greater strength and speed and finally found the "The cheese Station N" he was very happy and wanted Hem also to be here and wanted to go back and get him but he realised he already had tried and now it was Hem who himself can do it ,

"He had admit that the biggest inhibitor to change lies within yourself"

He missed his friend and thought if he ever tried to come he could follow the path and wall on he had written Hem had to find his own way, beyond his comfort and past his fears. 

So he went over and wrote the summer of  what he had learned on the wall of The Cheese Station N

Haw said a little prayer and hoped - As he had many times before that may be his friend finally able to introspect him self and come here one day . Haw had learned from his mistake, he ran into the maze everyday after finding the cheese station N and kept practising.

In discussion the group discussed how can this story be used in real life problem. 

Maze is the path we travel and cheese is the life.

So keeping ourself always aware of our surrounding makes our cheese more sweeter. Updating will keep us young through out our life.

By 

Rahul Pandey