Lisa Market
Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson is a simple story that explores the impact of change in both personal and professional life. The book tells the tale of four characters—two mice, Sniff and Scurry, and two people, Hem and Haw—who live in a maze and are on a quest to find cheese, which represents happiness, success, or fulfillment.
The story is straightforward but impactful, with each character representing a different response to change. Through their journey, Johnson illustrates important lessons about how individuals can navigate the inevitable changes in life and work. The story can be very impactful for anyone dealing with changes to their financial health. Whether you have experienced a job change, retirement or decreased margins for your business, this book can give you a new perspective on these changes and how to handle them.
Johnson dives into the example of high school classmates meeting up at a high school reunion to bring a real-life aspect into the story. Each person in the friend group has had different challenges since they last spoke and learned different lessons from the story. Michael is the member of the group who shares the story and discusses how embracing the story helped save his business. He asked all of his employees to read the story and think about which characters represented themselves. They worked within the company to better align everyone to their best abilities and helped move the company into the future. Without these adjustments, Michael’s business very well could have collapsed.
Nathan discusses how avoiding changes within his business resulted in the closure of multiple locations of his department store. They saw change happening all around them but refused to adjust their strategy. The fear of the unknown was too much to see the bigger picture. Businesses that fail to adapt to changing trends will fall behind. A perfect example of this is Blockbuster, who had the opportunity to purchase Netflix in its early days for $50 million. They didn’t think digital streaming was the future of entertainment. Blockbuster went on to close every location but one and Netflix is now a $384 billion company. This is a perfect example of a missed opportunity that could have kept Blockbuster alive and well for many years to come.
Each individual in the group left the gathering with something different to think about for their future. The story encourages individuals to be proactive and remain flexible in their approach to managing their financial future. Those who refuse to adjust can find themselves stuck in a financial situation they struggle to fix. Planning for the unknown can be extremely helpful in being better prepared for financial changes in the future. Setting up an emergency fund or investing in your retirement fund are great ways to save for the future. Don’t let the fear of the unknown keep you from achieving your dreams and goals.
Overall, Who Moved My Cheese? is an easy-to-read and motivational book that encourages readers to face change with a positive attitude, to adapt quickly, and to stop waiting for things to stay the same. Its lasting popularity is a testament to how relevant these messages remain in our fast-changing world. If you have been struggling with changes in your life, this short but powerful book is worth reading.
