Who Moved My Cheese Book Summary

Book Summary

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Brief Summary

"Who Moved My Cheese?" is a popular self-help book written by Spencer Johnson. It tells a simple yet powerful parable that focuses on the importance of adapting to change and embracing it in order to succeed in life and work. The story revolves around four characters who live in a maze and search for cheese, which represents success and happiness. When the cheese in their usual spot disappears, two characters quickly adapt and set off to find new cheese, while the other two resist change and cling to the old cheese. The book highlights the different attitudes towards change and the consequences of not embracing it. It encourages readers to overcome their fear and resistance to change, be proactive, and seek new opportunities in order to thrive in an ever-changing world.

About the Author

Patrick Spencer Johnson was a physician and best-selling author. He wrote the ValueTales series of children books. He is also known for his 1998 motivational book Who Moved My Cheese?. He served as chairman of Spencer Johnson Partners. He wrote the book "Yes" or "No": The Guide to Better Decisions (1992), and was also the co-author of the One Minute Manager series of books with management writer Ken Blanchard. He graduated with a degree in psychology from the University of Southern California and a medical degree from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. He died in San Diego in 2017.

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Who Moved My Cheese Book Summary Preview

Have you ever struggled with a career change?

What about a step toward commitment in a romantic relationship?

Do you find moving to a new city incredibly difficult?

Life changes can be hard. Actually, let’s be real, they can be downright exhausting and stressful.

But with the help of Spencer Johnson and his book, “Who Moved My Cheese”, change doesn’t have to be so terrible.

“If you do not change, you can become extinct !”-Spencer Johnson

This book gives insight into how you can overcome your fear of major life changes and embrace them in the most delicate and graceful manner. And by handling changes like a pro, you will find your way on the journey you’ve been destined for.

Onward to your dreams with Johnson’s help! And, with the help of his fantiscized characters Sniff and Scurry, mice of course, and Hem and Haw, two humans.

Humans Overcomplicate Things

When we are working toward something we want, we oftentimes tend to overcomplicate it. For example, a mouse looking for cheese is instinctive. They are hungry so they search and when they don’t find it, they look someplace else. For humans, it’s very different, we search for “cheese” for happiness and when we don’t find it, we find disappointment, which tends to halt our search.

When humans do find their “cheese” or their success, they become dependent on it. They schedule their lives around it and only find satisfaction when they have it. But, though they are very proud of their success, they begin to take it for granted.

Nothing Lasts Forever

The problem with becoming dependent on your success is that it doesn’t last forever. Everything is temporary. So, when big life changes happen, it tends to shake up most humans.

“The quicker you let go of old cheese, the sooner you find new cheese.”-Spencer Johnson

Being aware that change can happen at any time is good because then you can properly anticipate it. Understanding that it’s a reality of life, not a fear.

“What you are afraid of is never as bad as what you imagine. The fear you let build up in your mind is worse than the situation that actually exists.”-Spencer Johnson

When you expect everything to stay the same forever, you can overlook signs that things are changing around you. It’s important to keep your eyes and ears open in order to prepare for changes. Learning to adapt will allow you to move forward with grace and determination when life throws a new direction at you.

Keep Your Eyes On The Prize

Fear is what keeps us from adapting seamlessly into a new career, a new location, or a new relationship. That’s because change involves a whole new set of rules that we have to become accustomed to. This can be confusing at first. And, no one likes feeling confused or out-of-the-loop.

You must take steps outside of your comfort zone to accept change. If you don’t, you will remain in your broken past unable to move ahead toward your dreams.

Visualizing your goal in your head can be a great motivator to overcome the...