Who Moved My Cheese

1
Life is no straight and easy corridor
along Which we travel free and unhampered, But a
maze of passages, Through which we must seek our
way, Lost and confused, now and again Checked in
a blind alley. But always, if we have faith, A
door will open for us, Not perhaps one that we
ourselves Would ever have thought of, But one
that will ultimately Prove good for us. -A.
J. Cronin
2
Who Moved My Cheese?-A Summary of the Story-

• Presented byTraveling Coaches
• www.travelingcoaches.com

Author Spencer Johnson, M.D.
3
The Story

• Once upon a time . . .
• Four little characters who ran through a maze
  looking for cheese to nourish them and make them
  happy

4
Four Imaginary Characters

• The Mice
• Sniff
• Scurry
• The Littlepeople (two beings as small as mice but
  who look and act a lot like people)
• Hem
• Haw

5
The Search for Cheese

• Sniff and Scurry
• Simple rodent brains
• Good instincts
• Hem and Haw
• Complex brains
• Beliefs and emotions

6
The Maze

• Corridors and chambers
• Some containing delicious cheese
• Dark corners and blind alleys leading nowhere
• Easy place to get lost
• Secrets allowing better life

7
Navigating the Maze

• Sniff and Scurry
• Trial and error
• Often lost
• Bumped into walls
• Hem and Haw
• Ability to think and learn
• Perception clouded by beliefs and emotions

8
Cheese is found!

• Each morning, our four characters race through
  the maze, eager to enjoy their cheese.

9
The Daily Grind

• The mice
• Dressed in their running gear
• Head over to Cheese Station C
• The littlepeople
• Also raced toward Cheese Station C each morning
• Until different routine set in . . .

10
Lifestyle of Hem and Haw

• Wake a little later
• Dress a little slower
• Walk to Cheese
• Secure
• Comfortable

11

• Having Cheese MakesYou Happy

12
The Littlepeople Attitude

• Every night, they would return home full of
  cheese
• Every morning, they would confidently return for
  more
• We worked hard, we deserve this Cheese

13
Sniff and Scurry Routine

• Also returning to their cheese each morning
• Sniffed, scratched, scurried around inspecting

14
No Cheese for Sniff and Scurry

• But since Sniff and Scurry had noticed their
  diminishing supply of cheese, they werent
  surprised
• Prepared for the inevitable
• Knew instinctively what to do

15
No Cheese for Hem and Haw

• Unaware of their changing environment
• Unprepared to find their Cheese missing
• Who Moved My Cheese?
• Its Not Fair!

16
Shock and Disbelief

• Response
• Unattractive
• Unproductive
• But understandable

17
Importance of Cheese

• Meant a great deal more than just having enough
  to eat every day
• Material things
• Good health
• Family
• Cozy cottage
• Position

18
While Sniff and Scurry Move On

• Hem and Haw continue to hem and haw
• Ranted and raved about injustice
• Depression
• What about future plans?

19

• The More Important Your Cheese Is To You
• The More You WantTo Hold On To It

20
The Next Day . . .

• Hem and Haw returned to Cheese Station C
  expecting to somehow find their cheese
• By the way . . . Where are Sniff and Scurry?

21
Sniff and Scurry

• Farther and farther into the maze
• Up and down corridors
• Single goal of finding more cheese
• Entered an area where they had never been

22
In the Meantime . . .

• Hem and Haw still analyzing situation
• Angry about the injustice
• Looking for benefits
• Feeling entitled and betrayed

23
Hem vs. Haw

• Haw decides to leave
• Hem doesnt want to
• Its dangerous
• Im too old
• I might get lost
• Make a fool of myself
• We might fail

24
Hems Idea

• Perhaps if we just work harder, well find that
  nothing has really changed
• The difference between activity and productivity

25
Waiting For Improvement

• Littlepeople growing weak from hunger and stress
• Losing their edge
• Continue doing the same things over and over and
  . . .

26

• Prepare to re-enter the Maze or
• Wait until they put the Cheese back?

27
Haws Wisdom

• Sometimes things change and they are never the
  same again. This looks like one of those times.
  Thats life! Life moves on. And so should we.

28

• If You Do Not Change,
• You Can Become Extinct

29
Fear and Anxiety

• What if there is no other Cheese in the maze?
• What if I am unable to find Cheese?
• Why didnt I get up and move with the Cheese
  sooner?

30

• What Would You Do
• If You Werent Afraid?

31
Back In The Maze

• A little Cheese here and there
• Confusing
• Two steps forward, one step backward
• Not easier but better than Cheeseless situation

32
Looking Back

• Cheese hadnt actually disappeared overnight
• Smaller and smaller
• Old and moldy
• Should have anticipated change

33

• Smell The Cheese Often
• So You Know When It Is
• Getting Old

34
Haw Is Discouraged

• Empty Cheese Station
• Wants to give up
• Losing physical strength
• Continuing fear
• What would I do if I werent afraid?

35

• Movement In A New Direction
• Helps You FindNew Cheese

36

• When You MoveBeyond Your Fear,
• You Feel Free

37

• Imagining Myself Enjoying New Cheese Even Before
  I Find It
• Leads Me To It

38

• The Quicker You Let Go Of Old Cheese
• The Sooner You FindNew Cheese

39

• It Is Safer To SearchIn The Maze
• Than Remain In ACheeseless Situation

40

• Old Beliefs
• Do Not Lead You
• To New Cheese

41

• When You See That You Can Find And Enjoy New
  Cheese
• You Change Course

42

• Noticing Small Changes Early
• Helps You Adapt To TheBigger Changes That Are To
  Come

43
New Cheese

• As Haw enjoyed the New Cheese, he reflected on
  what he had learned
• Held on to illusion of Cheese when it was no
  longer there
• Learned to laugh at his own folly
• You can let go and quickly move on

44
And Haw Learned

• Keep life simple
• Dont overanalyze or complicate
• Change with the situation
• Envision success
• Learn from mistakes and use them to plan for the
  future

45
The Handwriting On The Wall

• Change Happens
• They Keep Moving The Cheese
• Anticipate Change
• Get Ready For The Cheese To Move
• Monitor Change
• Smell the Cheese Often So You Know When It Is
  Getting Old

46
The Handwriting On The Wall

• Adapt To Change Quickly
• The Quicker You Let Go Of Old Cheese, The Sooner
  You Can Enjoy New Cheese
• Change
• Move With The Cheese
• Enjoy Change!
• Savor The Adventure And Enjoy The Taste Of New
  Cheese

47
The Handwriting On The Wall

• Be Ready To Change Quickly And Enjoy It Again And
  Again
• They Keep Moving The Cheese

48

• Move With The CheeseAnd Enjoy It!