Who Moved My Cheese Read online

  Praise for Spencer Johnson’s Books

  ENTERTAINING STORIES AND INSIGHTS FOR A BETTER LIFE

  ONE MINUTE FOR YOURSELF

  “A One Minute Masterpiece!”

  —Dan Rather, CBS NEWS

  THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER

  “Should you apply one-minute management? Yes!”

  — WORKING WOMAN MAGAZINE

  “I gave copies to my boss, my subordinates, other refinery managers, and even my wife, our close friends and our clergy. It has that type of appeal and it’s that good.”

  —Robert Davis, President, CHEVRON CHEMICAL

  YES OR NO

  “Essential reading. You can read it on a plane ride and apply the decisions immediately.”

  —Jack E. Bower, Director of Education, IBM

  THE ONE MINUTE MOTHER

  “Dr. Johnson has the rare ability to be interesting, provocative and succinct. My admiration is complete.”

  —Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, Author,

  THE POWER OF POSITIVE THINKING

  THE ONE MINUTE $ALES PERSON

  “Follow the wise advice you discover in this great book.”

  —Og Mandino, Author,

  THE GREATEST SALESMAN IN THE WORLD

  THE ONE MINUTE FATHER

  “There were many demands on my time when my children were growing up and this book would have been invaluable.”

  —Gerald David C. Jones, Fmr. Chairman,

  THE-JOINT-CHIEFS-OF-STAFF

  The “Who Moved My Cheese?”

  Phenomena!

  The Story of Who Moved My Cheese? was created by Dr. Spencer Johnson to help him deal with a difficult change in his life. It showed him how to take his changing situation seriously but not take himself so seriously.

  When his friends noticed how much better life had become for him, and asked why, he revealed his “Cheese” story. Several said, sometimes years later, how hearing the story helped them to keep their sense of humor, to change, and to gain something better themselves. His co-author of The One Minute Manager, Ken Blanchard, encouraged him to finally write it as a book to share with many others.

  Two decades after the story was created, this book was published. It soon became a #1 Bestseller, with one million hardcover copies in print within the first 16 months and over 21 million copies in the next five years. In 2005, Amazon.com reported that Who Moved My Cheese? was their #1 All-Time Bestselling single book title.

  People have reported that what they discovered in the story has improved their careers, businesses, health and marriages. The Cheese story has found its way into homes, companies, schools, churches, the military, and sports teams. It has spread around the world in many foreign languages. Its appeal is universal.

  Critics, on the other hand, do not understand how so many people could find it so valuable. They say the story is so simple a child could understand it, and it insults their intelligence, as it is just obvious common sense. They get nothing out of the story. Some even fear it suggests all change is good and that people should mindlessly conform to unnecessary changes imposed by others, although that is not in the story.

  The author has commented that both the fans and critics are “right” in their own way. It is not what is in the story of Who Moved My Cheese? but how you interpret it and apply it to your own situation that gives it value.

  Hopefully the way you interpret the story of Who Moved My Cheese? and put it into action in your life will help you find and enjoy the “New Cheese” you deserve.

  Who Moved My Cheese?

  “Every once in a while a book comes along that opens a door to the future. This book has had that effect on me.”

  —David A. Heenan, Board Member

  PETER F. DRUCKER MANAGEMENT CENTER

  “As soon as I finished reading this, I ordered copies to help us deal with the relentless changes we face—from being on changing teams to developing new markets.”

  —Joan Banks, Performance Effectiveness Specialist

  WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION

  “I can picture myself reading this wonderful story to my children and grandchildren in our family room with a warm fire glowing, and their understanding the lessons.”

  - Lt. Col. Wayne Washer,

  AERONAUTICAL SCIENCE CENTER, PATTERSON AFB

  “Dr. Johnson’s enticing images and language give us a fundamentally sound and memorable way of managing change.”

  —Albert J. Simone, President

  ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

  “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.”

  —Randy Harris, Former Vice-Chairman

  MERRILL LYNCH INTERNATIONAL

  “This book is a simple, understandable road map for us to use as we deal with our own individual circumstances around change.”

  - Michael Morley, Senior Vice President

  EASTMAN KODAK

  “This wonderful book is an asset to any person or group that applies its lessons.”

  —John A. Lopiano, Senior V.P.

  XEROX CORPORATION

  Books by Spencer Johnson, M.D.

  THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER® (with Kenneth Blanchard, Ph.D.)

  THE PRECIOUS PRESENT: The Gift That Makes You Happy Forever

  THE ONE MINUTE $ALES PERSON (with Larry Wilson)

  THE ONE MINUTE MOTHER

  THE ONE MINUTE FATHER

  THE ONE MINUTE TEACHER (with Constance Johnson, M.Ed.)

  ONE MINUTE FOR YOURSELF (formerly ONE MINUTE FOR MYSELF)

  “YES” OR “NO”: The Guide to Better Decisions

  THE VALUETALES® SERIES FOR CHILDREN

  THE VALUE OF BELIEVING IN YOURSELF: The Story of Louis Pasteur

  THE VALUE OF PATIENCE: The Story Of The Wright Brothers

  THE VALUE OF KINDNESS: The Story Of Elizabeth Fry

  THE VALUE OF HUMOR: The Story Of Will Rogers

  THE VALUE OF COURAGE: The Story Of Jackie Robinson

  THE VALUE OF CURIOSITY: The Story Of Christopher Columbus

  THE VALUE OF IMAGINATION: The Story Of Charles Dickens

  THE VALUE OF SAVING: The Story Of Benjamin Franklin

  THE VALUE OF SHARING: The Story Of The Mayo Brothers

  THE VALUE OF HONESTY: The Story Of Confucius

  THE VALUE OF UNDERSTANDING: The Story Of Margaret Mead

  THE VALUE OF FANTASY: The Story Of Hans Christian Andersen

  THE VALUE OF DEDICATION: The Story Of Albert Schweitzer

  Dedicated to my friend,

  Kenneth Blanchard, Ph.D.,

  whose enthusiasm for this story

  encouraged me to write this book,

  and whose help brought it to so many people.

  G. P Putnam’s Sons

  Publishers Since 1838

  a member of

  Penguin Putnam Inc.

  375 Hudson Street

  New York, NY 10014

  Copyright © 1998, 2002 by Spencer Johnson, M.D.

  Excerpt from Out of the Maze copyright © 2018 by The P. Spencer Johnson Trust of 2002, dated February 1, 2002

  All rights reserved. This book, or parts thereof, may not

  be reproduced in any form without permission.

  Published simultaneously in Canada

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Johnson, Spencer.

  Who moved my cheese? : an a-mazing way to deal wit
h change

  in your work and in your life / Spencer Johnson.

  p. cm.

  eISBN : 978-1-101-49587-2

  1. Change (Psychology) I. Title.

  BF637.C4J64 1998

  98-15502 CIP

  155.2’4—dc21

  FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT

  WHO MOVED MY CHEESE?

  Books, Learning Materials and Animated Movie for Organizations

  1-800-851-9311

  www.WhoMovedMyCheese.com

  penguin.com

  Version_5

  Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Who Moved My Cheese?: The Story

  A Discussion Later That Same Day

  Excerpt from Out of the Maze

  The best laid schemes

  o’ mice and men

  often go astray.

  Robert Burns

  1759 -1796

  “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

  Parts of All of Us

  The Simple and The Complex

  The four imaginary characters

  depicted in this story—

  the mice: “Sniff” and “Scurry,” and

  the Littlepeople: “Hem” and “Haw”—

  are intended to represent the simple and

  the complex parts of ourselves, regardless of

  our age, gender, race or nationality.

  Sometimes we may act like

  Sniff

  Who sniffs out change early, or

  Scurry

  Who scurries into action, or

  Hem

  Who denies and resists change as he fears

  it will lead to something worse, or

  Haw

  Who learns to adapt in time when he sees

  changing can lead to something better!

  Whatever parts of us we choose to use,

  we all share something in common:

  a need to find our way in the Maze

  and succeed in changing times.

  The Story Behind The Story

  by Kenneth Blanchard, Ph.D.

  I am thrilled to be telling you “the story behind the story” of Who Moved My Cheese? because it means the book has now been written, and is available for all of us to read, enjoy and share with others.

  This is something I’ve wanted to see happen ever since I first heard Spencer Johnson tell his great “Cheese” story, years ago, before we wrote our book The One Minute Manager together.

  I remember thinking then how good the story was and how helpful it would be to me from that moment on.

  Who Moved My Cheese? is a story about change that takes place in a Maze where four amusing characters look for “Cheese”- cheese being a metaphor for what we want to have in life, whether it is a job, a relationship, money, a big house, freedom, health, recognition, spiritual peace or even an activity like jogging or golf.

  Each of us has our own idea of what Cheese is, and we pursue it because we believe it makes us happy. If we get it, we often become attached to it. And if we lose it, or it’s taken away, it can be traumatic.

  The “Maze” in the story represents where you spend time looking for what you want. It can be the organization you work in, the community you live in, or the relationships you have in your life.

  I tell the Cheese story that you are about to read in my talks around the world, and often hear later from people about what a difference it has made to them.

  Believe it or not, this little story has been credited with improving careers, marriages and lives!

  One of the many real-life examples comes from Charlie Jones, a well-respected broadcaster for NBC-TV, who revealed that hearing the story of Who Moved My Cheese? saved his career. His job as a broadcaster is unique, but the principles he learned can be used by anyone.

  Here’s what happened: Charlie had worked hard and had done a great job of broadcasting Track and Field events at an earlier Olympic Games, so he was surprised and upset when his boss told him he’d been removed from these showcase events for the next Olympics and assigned to Swimming and Diving.

  Not knowing these sports as well, he was frustrated. He felt unappreciated and he became angry. He said he felt it wasn’t fair! His anger began to affect everything he did.

  Then, he heard the story of Who Moved My Cheese?

  After that he said he laughed at himself and changed his attitude. He realized his boss had just “moved his Cheese.” So he adapted. He learned the two new sports, and in the process, found that doing something new made him feel young.

  It wasn’t long before his boss recognized his new attitude and energy, and he soon got better assignments. He went on to enjoy more success than ever and was later inducted into Pro Football’s Hall of Fame—Broadcasters’ Alley.

  That’s just one of the many real-life stories I’ve heard about the impact this story has had on people-from their work life to their love life.

  I’m such a strong believer in the power of Who Moved My Cheese? that I gave a copy of an early pre-publication edition to everyone (more than 200 people) working with our company. Why?

  Because like every company that wants to not only survive in the future but stay competitive, The Ken Blanchard Companies are constantly changing. They keep moving our “Cheese.” While in the past we may have wanted loyal employees, today we need flexible people who are not possessive about “the way things are done around here.”

  And yet, as you know, living in constant white water with the changes occurring all the time at work or in life can be stressful, unless people have a way of looking at change that helps them understand it. Enter the Cheese story.

  When I told people about the story and then they got to read Who Moved My Cheese? you could almost feel the release of negative energy beginning to occur. Person after person from every department went out of their way to thank me for the book and told me how helpful it had been to them already in seeing the changes going on in our company in a different light. Believe me, this brief parable takes little time to read, but its impact can be profound.

  As you turn the pages, you will find three sections in this book. In the first, A Gathering, former classmates talk at a class reunion about trying to deal with the changes happening in their lives. The second section is The Story of Who Moved My Cheese?, which is the core of the book.

  In The Story you will see that the two mice do better when they are faced with change because they keep things simple, while the two Littlepeople’s complex brains and human emotions complicate things. It is not that mice are smarter. We all know people are more intelligent than mice.

  However, as you watch what the four characters do, and realize both the mice and the Littlepeople represent parts of ourselves-the simple and the complex—you can see it would be to our advantage to do the simple things that work when things change.

  In the third section, A Discussion, people discuss what The Story meant to them and how they are going to use it in their work and in their lives.

  Some readers of this book’s early manuscript preferred to stop at the end of The Story, without reading further, and interpret its meaning for themselves. Others enjoyed reading A Discussion that follows because it stimulat
ed their thinking about how they might apply what they’d learned to their own situation.

  Everyone knows that not all change is good or even necessary. But in a world that is constantly changing, it is to our advantage to learn how to adapt and enjoy something better.

  In any case, I hope each time you re-read Who Moved My Cheese? you will find something new and useful in the brief story, as I do, and that it will help you deal with change and bring you success, whatever you decide success is for you.

  I hope you enjoy what you discover, and I wish you well. Remember: Move with the Cheese!

  Ken Blanchard

  San Diego, California

  A Gathering Chicago

  One sunny Sunday in Chicago, several former classmates, who were good friends in school, gathered for lunch, having attended their high school reunion the night before. They wanted to hear more about what was happening in each other’s lives. After a good deal of kidding, and a good meal, they settled into an interesting conversation.