Who Moved My Cheese?

BY

Spenser Johnson, M.D.

 .

What are your Options?

“If you ignore the situation, change will slam into you and knock you off balance.

Getting angry won’t make it go away- in fact, temper

typically makes things worse.
Wishful thinking is a waste of time, too, so don’t sit around thinking and talking
about “the good old days” with the hope they’ll return.
You can’t even run away from it, because there’s no place you can run that’s
beyond the range of change.
Might as well face the problems and find the opportunities.
How you think and how you act, become very important during times like these.
Obviously, you won’t be able to control everything that happens to you. But
you’re in complete control of how you respond to what happens.
This is the Age of Instability, where managing change is everybody’s job. Think of
it as your personal assignment.”

Price Pritchett and Ron Pound, The Employee Handbook for Organizational Change

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 1. How does the video differ from the book?

The video based on the book differs from the book in that it is more of a visual interpretation of the
story, providing a visual representation of the characters, the maze, and the cheese.

2. Did you imagine the story differently when reading the book, explain?

When reading the book, I imagined the story differently than what was portrayed in the video.

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 Reading the Handwriting On the Wall

“Cheese” is a symbol for whatever is important to you- the way you do your job, relationships with other
people, health, peace of mind, etc. The maze is where You look for “Cheese”- your organization,
community or family.

3. What is YOUR Cheese, and where are you looking for IT?

My cheese is my career, and I am looking for it in the ever-changing job market.

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 What are you holding on to?

4. What do you need to let go of to succeed in a changing situation?

To succeed in a changing situation, I need to let go of my fear of the unknown and my resistance to
change.

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 It Is Safer To Search
In The Maze
Than to Remain
In A Cheeseless
Situation

5. Where will you find your New Cheese-in a Cheeseless situation or in the maze?

I will find my new cheese in the maze, as it is safer to search for opportunities than it is to remain in a
cheeseless situation.

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 The Quicker You
Let Go Of Old
Cheese The Sooner
You Find New
Cheese

6. Can you change quickly enough to succeed in a rapidly changing world?

I can change quickly enough to succeed in a rapidly changing world by keeping an

open mind and remaining adaptable to new situations and environments.

7. What actions can you take soon?

Actions I can take soon involve doing research on the current job market, networking with other
professionals in my field, and updating my resume and portfolio.

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 8. What new beliefs about change – like ―I can gain from the change‖– could you adopt today that
would work to your advantage?

List some new beliefs you could adopt about change that would work to your advantage.

Some new beliefs about change I could adopt today to work to my advantage include having faith in
myself and my abilities, believing that changes can bring new opportunities, and trusting that I will find
success in the end.

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 Who Are You In The Story?

Sniff? Who can smell the change in the air?

Scurry? Who goes into action immediately?

Hem? Who does not want to change? ―IT’S NOT FAIR!

Haw? Who is startled by change, but then laughs at him

self and moves on to enjoy new cheese?

9. Which character most represents the way you typically deal with change? Why?

The character I most identify with is Haw; I am usually startled by change, but then I laugh
at myself and move on to explore the possibilities.

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 SNIFF

Can you see the early signs of change coming before others are aware of it?

10. What excites Sniff about change?

What excites Sniff about change is the opportunity to detect the early signs of change before others
may be aware of it.

11. What scares Sniff about change?

What scares Sniff about change is the potential for something to go wrong.

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 Scurry

Can you see what is needed and take action immediately?

12. What excites Scurry about change?

What excites Scurry about change is the opportunity to take action immediately and make the most of
a situation.

13. What scares Scurry about change?

What scares Scurry about change is the fear of the unknown and not knowing how to react.

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 Hem

Do you – hem and haw in a new situation and wish the change WASN’T
happening?

14. What excites Hem about change?

What excites Hem about change is the potential for something to go right.

15. What scares Hem about change?

What scares Hem about change is the idea of having to leave their comfort zone and face something
new.

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 Haw

Can you laugh at yourself for not wanting to change,

then move on to explore the maze and come to enjoy
the taste of new cheese?

16. What excites Haw about change?

What excites Haw about change is the opportunity to explore the maze and find new cheese .

17. What scares Haw about change?

What scares Haw about change is the potential for failure or disappointment.

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