Introduction
Who Moved My Cheese? was written by Spencer Johnson, an American author of bestsellers that are popular all over the world. It is a book about a group of former classmates that gathered for a reunion, and one of them wanted to tell a story about two mice named “Sniff” and “Scurry”, and two small characters that were very similar to people named “Haw” and “Hem” that found their “Cheese” in a maze that represented happiness.
However, things started to get complicated once it was gone, and two of them were able to accept the change right away and moved on, one needed time to deal with his thoughts, and the last one was in a denial. It ends with a discussion of this tale by people of different occupations, but most of them had a similar opinion about this story, and all of them agreed that it can be life-changing.
Discussion
Principles
There are major principles in this book that should be noted, and one of them teaches that a person should look at the situation from other perspectives sometimes, and should understand when it is necessary to get ready for the inevitable (Johnson, n.d., p. 16).
Also, it may not be easy to let go of something that one is used to, but it should be understood that it is necessary, and time is very precious (Johnson, n.d., p. 18). The last one and the most important principle indicates that it is easier to make a transition once one knows about his or her goals, and it is possible to achieve them (Johnson, n.d., p. 20).
Similarities
It is not that easy to admit, but I have to say that my personality at the moment is quite similar to the one demonstrated by Hem. It is a challenge for me to accept any changes, and I meet them with resistance. For example, I did not want to go to school in the past, and it is not surprising because it is quite hard to learn about the necessity to go somewhere each day after one has enjoyed years of complete freedom.
Also, I should have seen the need for changes that would improve my relationships but I was satisfied with what I had and did not even consider making attempts to affect some situations. However, it should be said that most people in the modern society are like this, and the ones who have learned how to face such challenges can quickly adapt to any environment. This story actually made me think about opportunities that I might have missed in the past.
Change in Approach
Now I understand that time should not be wasted on things that are not productive whatsoever if one wants to achieve success in this life. If I have an idea that it would be paramount for me to do something, I will do it and I will no longer be afraid of change that may come afterwards because it is not as scary in reality as one may imagine in his or her head. I agree that my current approach to such situations is not very wise, and I must not think too much.
It is necessary to understand the correct time to take an action that would determine the future of an individual. Also, I plan to be much more active and not just follow somebody. My perception of the education also needs to change, and I should pay attention to every bit of knowledge that is provided. Also, I like how mice have foreseen that such situation would occur, and I have to say that sometimes it is not easy and hugely depends on the experience with such circumstances.
I have learned that just accepting your fate and doing nothing is simply not wise and most likely will lead to nothing. It is necessary to understand that some changes may actually be for the worst, but it is not as bad as it seems because we learn from our mistakes. There is no better learning experience than a questionable decision, and it is important for one to be able to laugh at his or her missteps.
Also, many do not want to have any responsibilities, and just thoughts about them cause some to tremble and be terrified. Indeed, it is quite challenging to force someone to do something that he or she does not want to do. I liked the way one of the main characters has come to a conclusion that people need to accept the changes themselves, and there is no way someone would be able to do it for them.
Resistance
It is imperative to understand why both characters were resisting the change. One of the issues is that both of them had significant assumptions that prevented them from making any progress (Kegan & Lahey, 2001, p. 88). It is important that the first aspect of overcoming this issue is observation, and it is what Haw did, and he was able to proceed to action (Kegan & Lahey, 2001, p. 88). The second human-like character did not even try to consider this as a problem that needs to be solved.
It is indeed hard to do because comfort is something that is cherished by many, and most do not want to step out of their comfort zones. One may be satisfied with the way things are right now, but it cannot last forever. We have to face changes in every aspect of our lives. Resistance is not a great idea in most cases and only extends the time that is spent on non-productive activities, but one must understand when something is inevitable. It may also be explained from the physiological perspective.
The biggest barrier that should be addressed is the way our brain functions. Its primary purpose is to guarantee the safety of an individual, and it becomes problematic if one considers a change to be dangerous because complex-thinking is negatively affected as a result (Pawliw-Fry, 2009, p. 7).
A human mind is very complex, and it is rather hard for anyone to do something once one idea has been set in stone. It happens because everyone strives for safety, and some activities are intentionally avoided if one thinks that changes would be dangerous in one way or another.
Favourite Quote
Johnson (n.d.) is able to grab attention of all the readers with a line that said “Haw did not know it, but he was running behind because he was weighted down by his beliefs” (p. 15). In other words, the little human was not ready to accept changes because he was genuinely afraid very did in his mind, and could not understand it. This is my favorite quote because it displays the power of thoughts and how negative ones can affect the actions of an individual.
One of the most important aspects that should be noted is that one should not doubt his or her strength once the decision to accept and face changes has been made. It is understandable that one wants to feel safe during the process and to have an ability to go back if something unexpected happens.
However, the decisiveness is one of the most paramount personal qualities among successful individuals, and it is important to strive to be like this. Overall, it was very entertaining and motivational, and I want to improve myself so I can be a better individual, and I hope that I will be more like Haw.
Conclusion
In conclusion, this story is not as simple as it may seem at first, and one may need to read it few times to fully comprehend because there are some small details that are hard to notice during the first read. It can be said that this story has helped me to understand the issue that currently affects millions of people all over the world.
It is hard to imagine how many talented people did not chase their dreams simply because they were afraid. Motivation is crucial when someone attempts to change his or her life, and it is hard to do when one does not have a complete understanding of the benefits that are provided. Overall, this was an excellent learning experience for me, and I hope that I would be able to utilize the principles that were listed in this book.