Who Moved My Cheese?

Book Review

‘Who Moved My Cheese?’ is an a-mazing way to deal with change in your work and in your life.
It is written by Spencer Johnson M.D. and foreword by Kenneth Blanchard Ph.D. Dr. Spencer Johnson is
a known author of motivational books. He is the originator and co-author of The One Minute Manager,
the no. 1 New York bestseller, written with his legendary management consultant Kenneth Blanchard
Ph.D. Dr, Johnson has written many bestsellers, which includes the other books in the One Minute series:
The One Minute $ales Person, The One Minute Mother, The One Minute Father, One Minute For
Yourself, and The One Minute Teacher, Yes or No, the popular ValueTales children’s books, and the
perennial gift favourite, The Precious Present. His education includes a B.A. in psychology from the
University of Southern California, an M.D. degree from the Royal College of Surgeons, and medical
clerkships at Harvard Medical School and The Mayo Clinic. Furthermore, Spencer Johnson’s books are
available in forty-one languages throughout the world.

The story ‘Who Moved My Cheese’ is about a change that takes place in a Maze where four
amusing characters look for ‘Cheese’, the mice: “Sniff” who sniffed out change early, and “Scurry” who
scurries into action, and the littlepeople, who have a complex mind and act like a human yet they are
small like mice: “Hem” who denies and resists change as he thinks it just lead to something worse, and
“Haw” who learns to adapt change in time when he sees changing can lead to something better. The four
characters are living in a maze to find their cheese. On their long and tiring journey of finding cheese,
they found tons of cheese in Cheese Station C. By that, they have their own routine. The mice tied up
their shoes and hung it on their neck just in case something would happen, they can take actions easily.
On the other hand, the littlepeople settled in and made themselves at home. As they reached the Cheese
Station C every morning, they put away their shoes, hung their suits, and enjoying the cheese as if it
wouldn’t be empty. They feel so successful, comfortable, and secured by their life, and think that they
have enough cheese that lasts forever. One day, the mice arrived at Cheese Station C and found no
cheese. They had already expected this will happen as they have notice that the cheese reduced every day.
The mice wear their shoes and start finding cheese. On the contrary, the littlepeople stunned when they
found no cheese. They start blaming and complaining who moved their cheese. Hem cannot accept the
reality, while Haw stated to adapt the change. Until, Haw starts his journey and overcome his fears along
the maze. In his journey, he found out by himself some realizations way to success and wrote it on the
wall as a guide, hoping that Hem will follow who stays in Cheese Station C. Finally, Haw arrived at
Cheese Station N, where there is tons of Cheese. He saw the mice in there, which are happily enjoying the
cheese. Unlike before, Haw inspects the condition of the cheese to avoid being surprised by unexpected
change. He often went out into the Maze and explored new areas to stay in touch with what was
happening around him. The story “Who Moved My Cheese” by Dr. Spencer Johnson is about how to deal
with changes happened in our life.

When Kenneth Blanchard Ph.D hears the story of ‘Cheese’ from Dr. Spencer Johnson, he
recommends writing it under The One Minute Manager. He is one of the people who change their way of
living after hearing the story from Dr. Spencer. Charlie Jones, a well-respected broadcaster for NBC.TV,
saved his career after hearing the story of “Cheese”. Not only Charlie Jones but there is lots of people
who have been improved their careers, marriages, and lives because of this little story. Dr. Johnson has
been motivated by the people who changed their life because of the story, and he decided to publish it by
the help of Kenneth Blanchard Ph.D. and the management. In this way, not only hundreds but millions of
people would be inspired by this little story.

“Who Moved My Cheese?” is written for all ages that is a simple parable which reveals
thoughtful certainties. Indeed, it is an amusing and motivating story of four characters that have different
personalities living in a maze. Their main goal is to find cheese for them to nurture and make them happy.
Cheese is a metaphor of what you want to have in life such as, loving relationship, money, health,
profession, or spiritually healthy. Moreover, the Maze is the location for what you want like an
organization, family, or the community you live in. As Dr. Spencer Johnson has knowledge about
psychology, he wants all the readers to anticipate change, adapt to change quickly, enjoy change, and be
ready to change quickly, again and again.

In Conclusion, “Who Moved My Cheese?” is a motivational book to help the individuals deal
with change in life. It is a book that opens a door to the future in which everyone can keep a lesson from
the past. Randy Harris, a former vice chairman of Merrill Lynch International, said that Spencer
Johnson’s unique insights and storytelling make this a rare book that can be read and understood quickly
by everyone who wants to do well in these changing times.