Adapt To Change Quickly
Dr Spencer explains the idea of quick movement. The speed to achieve something matters. In this story of change, mice move fast to find new cheese that can relish them again. In the end, they get cheese earlier.
No matter what the way you have chosen, the continuous movement with determination reaps cheese.
Good Things Dont Last Forever So Be Ready
So when Hem and Haw awoke one morning, they were surprised to discover that their cheese vanished.
Change, sooner or later, is unavoidable. Being aware of this can assist you in keeping a closer check on your current condition and better anticipating the shift to come.
On the other hand, Sniff and Scurry never took the stockpile for granted and made it a point to keep an eye on it for any changes. As a result, the two mice realized that the quantity of cheese was rapidly decreasing.
You may miss indicators that things are changing if you expect things to stay the same. Hem and Haw were so enamored with the cheese that they didnt even notice when the supply was running out or when it began to mold!
It might be difficult to embrace change when we hold beliefs about ourselves. If you believe you deserve success, good health, or an unending supply of cheese, anything that deprives you of these things will feel unfair to the point where you may even deny that change is taking place.
Cheese Station C, Hem, and Haw believed it was a prize for their hard effort. Theyd spent so much time looking for it, after all! As a result, when the stockpile vanished, they were unable to accept reality.
This is not a situation you want to find yourself in. Instead, keep an eye out for change indicators in your life and adjust as quickly as possible. The sooner you do, the sooner youll be able to retrace your steps.
Why Change Move With Cheese
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Who Moved My Cheese Character Summary
Out of 4 imaginary characters Sniff & Scurry are two mice, Hem & Haw are people little as mice but act like todays human being. Each of them have special charactoristics like:
Sniff- detects the change early
Scurry- take action & move with quick short steps
Hem- afraid of change & resist to change
Haw- Learns & adopt in time when he sees changing can lead to something better.
Who Moved My Cheese Story
Every morning, Sniff, Scurry, Hem & Haw put their running shoes & run through the maze in search of cheese which makes them healthy & happy.
Sniff, Scurry, the two mice have simple brain & good instincts which helps them finding special kind of cheese they like.
Hen & Haw, two little people having complex brain, emotions & beliefs helped them finding Capital C kind of cheese that they like.
They run through the maze which consist of corriors & containers. They run through the corridors, if found empty they remember the path & search the new areas. Despite many failures like going to the wrong way, trapped in dak containers they somehow succeeded to find the special cheese. It was in Cheese Station C in one of the corridors.
Every day, sniff & scurry raced to the cheese station C & enjoy the cheese. Whereas Hem & Haw brought their home near cheese station. They used to wake up late, come to the cheese station & enjoy cheese. They are happy & proud of their success. They decorated their home with writings. Haw writes on the wall- Having cheese make you happy.
Many days passed. Every morning sniff & scurry with their good instincts observing changes in nearby areas & cheese. They noticed cheese is decreasing day by day. Whereas Hem & Haw become arrogant of their success. They didnt notice the change. They thought cheese will remain forever.
In the meantime, Hem & Haw were analyzing the same thing again & again. Due to lack of cheese they were growing weak.
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Who Moved My Cheese By Spencer Johnson
Thanks for reading. You can get more actionable ideas in my popular email newsletter. Each week, I share 3 short ideas from me, 2 quotes from others, and 1 question to think about. Over 1,000,000 people subscribe. Enter your email now and join us.
James Clear writes about habits, decision making, and continuous improvement. He is the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller, Atomic Habits. The book has sold over 5 million copies worldwide and has been translated into more than 50 languages.
Lesson : Stop Thinking Too Much About Your Cheese And Start Chasing It
The two mice inside of our maze are Sniff and Scurry. They spend most of their time running up and down the corridors of the maze, looking for cheese. Turn a corner, run to the end, see if theres any cheese, and if not, turn around and go back. Thats their pattern, and, while it seems kind of mindless and unstructured, it actually saves them a lot of time and energy.
Hem and Haw, two little people, also spend their days in the maze looking for cheese, but not because theyre hungry they think finding it will make them feel happy and successful. However, because of their complex brains, they think a lot about
- how they can find the cheese the fastest
- which strategies will work best in getting through the maze
- how to keep track of those strategies
- what finding the cheese will feel like
- when theyll finally find it
and of course, they wonder if there even is any cheese in the maze at all every time they turn another empty corner.
Life is the same. Every minute you spend wondering what success looks like, how to get it, whether its possible and how youll feel in the future is a minute not spend working towards it. Humans are complicated beings, but that doesnt mean we have to make everything complicated.
Be more like a mouse and just start running!
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Who Moved My Cheese Short Summary
Who Moved My Cheese is a tale about four characters – Sniff, Scurry, Hem and Haw who discover the risks and rewards of resisting and adapting to change as they search, find, lose and must rediscover their favourite food, cheese, in a large, twisting maze. Read the full Who Moved My Cheese summary.
The Handwriting On The Wall
The writings Haw leaves on the walls for Hem are, of course, messages intended for the readers.
Pay attention to them!
They teach you how changes are inevitable and how you must adapt to them, leaving all fears behind you.
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Why Do We Write Parables
In a nutshell, a parable is a simple story with a moral.
It intends to impart important knowledge through an allegory. A good way to understand why Who Moved My Cheese? is an allegory is to think about how would you read it one of its four main characters, had your name and description.
Surely, youd be in a state of denial like Ham, claiming that you wouldnt act like that.
Dont worry!
Thats a normal reaction.
Thats why we have parables and fables. When the stories are about mice and little men, everyone can find some part of himself inside the stories.
And, thats how any funny little story can become a bestseller.
Four Types Of Characters
Some editions of Who Moved My Cheese? feature a short introduction describing each of the four characters.
It says that they are intended to represent the simple and the complex parts of ourselves, and, that all of us can be either one of the characters in the story or a combination of two or more.
Sniff is the one who sniffs a challenge before one actually arises. Hes proactive and down to business, always a step ahead.
Scurry is the one who scurries into action the second he hears the call. He isnt passive as well, and he knows that change will inevitably come. So, he prepares in advance.
Haw is the one who learns to adapt the minute he understands that change may lead to something better. Hes one step behind, but he moves forward, nevertheless.
Finally, Hem is the one who denies the necessity of change. He resists transformations of any kind, believing that the status quo is the optimal status of a system.
Hes the one wholl be left behind.
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Lesson: C Visualizing Your Goal Can Empower You To Cross The Hurdle
Visualizing his goal, Haw begins his pursuit again in finding a new cheese, but this time Hem decides hell stay at the empty cheese station, as he was afraid to go outside.
But, Haw determines to do something to improve the situation. Even though he was all alone, he accumulates courage and escapes Cheese Station C.
Slowly, he gains confidence and even come across few bits of cheese. Now, he begins to feel good because hes no longer control by the fear.
Once you start moving, the circumstance will improve just step outside of your comfort zone. Gradually, Haw gains his strength and confidence. He pursuits the cheese and doesnt stop until he finds the next cheese station that is Cheese Station N.
As Haw enters in the new station, he finds that Sniff and Scurry have been enjoying cheese.
Moving in a new direction, youve to embrace change. Once you manage your fear, the next time courage will help you to confront change. Youll develop the courage to pass through the hurdles, and fear wont stop you again.
After learning his lesson, Haw explores the maze looking for other cheese stations. Regardless, there is plenty of cheese at Cheese Station N. Every day, he measures cheese to prevent happening the same situation again.
Remember, even when everything looks good, keep an eye for new and exciting things.
Motivation Through Design Of Work
Reward-based systems are certainly the more common practice for attempting to influence motivation within an organization, but some employers strive to design the work itself to be more conducive. There are multiple ways an organization can leverage job design principles to increase motivation. Three of the predominant approaches will be discussed here: the Humanistic Approach, the Job Characteristics Approach, and the Interdisciplinary Approach.
- Humanistic Approach
- Job Characteristics Approach
The Job Characteristics Approach to job design is based on how core dimensions affect motivation. These dimensions include autonomy, variety, significance, feedback, and identity. The goal of JCT job design is to utilize specific interventions in an effort to enhance these core dimensions.
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Things Will Improve If You Take A Risk And Go In A Different Direction:
Haw moved on to find new cheese after picturing his aim. Hem, on the other hand, would not budge. He remained angry and starved at the empty cheese station, far too terrified to go out and look for cheese.
Haws experience improved considerably at the same time.
You learn how to better welcome change as you take a new path. If you can overcome your worries just once, youll have the courage to move forward the next time youre presented with change. Fear will no longer paralyze you as it once did.
Even though he was alone and terrified when he began his adventure, Haw found the fortitude to continue. However, he gradually gained confidence. Even though he only found a few pieces of cheese early on, he was pleased with himself for having made it thus far. Now that his fears didnt rule him, life seemed a lot better.
You learn how to better welcome change as you take a new path. If you can overcome your worries just once, youll have the courage to move forward the next time youre presented with change. Fear will no longer paralyze you as it once did.
Even though he was alone and terrified when he began his adventure, Haw found the fortitude to continue. However, he gradually gained confidence. Even though he only found a few pieces of cheese early on, he was pleased with himself for having made it thus far. Now that his fears didnt rule him, life seemed a lot better.
How These Lessons Are Useful To Me During The Lockdown Period
Who moved my cheese by Spencer Johnson is a short book but is packed with a lot of important lessons that we can pick up during this pandemic time. It was a parable about change it is about a journey of four characters searching, finding, losing, and rediscovering back their cheese in a large twisting maze.
Johnson uses cheese as a metaphor for what you want in life, such as a well-paid job, a loving relationship, possessions, or a healthier body. The maze is the environment we live in, such as our workplace, our friends, family. The book talks about problems that no cheese is everlasting and life changes, whether we love it or not.
As Heraclitus once said Change is the only constant in life
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Lesson: B Each Day Brings Something New So Prepare Yourself For The Change
Each day after waking up, Hem and Haw walk towards cheese station C for a snack. They notice the empty station and are shocked because they never observe that the cheese is diminishing.
Keeping a close eye on the situation, you can prepare yourself for the future. Because change happens, and you can save yourself by being aware. Expecting things in the same way, youll miss the sign of changing environment.
Both Hem and Haw are so satisfied with their feeling of excitement that they forget to notice the change. While Sniff and Scurry keep an eye for any change, and they realize early that the cheese is diminishing slowly.
Believing something makes it harder for yourself to look for another perspective. Even Dalai Lama says in The Art of Happiness that you should have the mental flexibility to look at the other side of the situation.
You should pay attention to the signal of changing environment and prepare yourself for the next hurdle. The sooner youre able to adopt and implement change, the sooner youll find your way.
When Sniff and Scurry realize that there is no more cheese in station C, they start searching for a new cheese station without stressing. Luckily, they find out a huge pile of cheese at another Cheese Station N.
However, Hem and Haw arent so lucky and unable to handle change. With hope, the pair keeps returning to the empty station C but finds nothing except stress, frustration, and depression.
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Use The Lessons From This Cheesy Parable To Achieve Your Objectives
So, how can you apply the principles of this story to your business or even your personal life?
Consider recounting the narrative of Hem, Haw, Sniff, and Scurry to your team. They may come to see change and the potential benefits to a business in a more positive light.
You can also learn a lot by asking your staff which character they most relate with. People who have a soft spot for the mice Sniff and Scurry, for example, could be the change agents your company requires.
Sniffs have a keen sense of observation. They can detect even the tiniest changes, allowing them to forecast major changes in the marketplace. Sniffs can also help a firm identify new goods and competitive advantages and update its corporate vision.
Scurrys, on the other hand, are people who want to get things done. Employees should be encouraged to act by the new corporate vision.
During times of change, however, your organizations Hems typically feel unsafe. This might be an issue, particularly if they cant summon the bravery to transform into Haws. Youll have to put in a lot of effort to show them how change can benefit them.
The small peoples and mices experiences might instruct your staff to be on the lookout for fresh opportunities. Consider the conclusion of our parable. Although Cheese Station N had plenty of cheese, Haw continued to explore the maze searching for more stashes, having learned his lesson.
keep an eye out for new and interesting opportunities.Good book
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Is There A Slice Of Wisdom In This Story For You
The story takes place in a maze. Two mice, named Sniff and Scurry, and two mouse-sized people, named Hem and Haw, search for cheese. For an idyllic period, the inhabitants are lucky enough to find some cheese at Station C, and enjoy a plentiful supply of their favorite food. As is the inevitable way of the world, the cheese starts to run out.
The inhabitants react differently to their changing situation. Sniff and Scurry understand that the situation has changed, so they decide to search for new cheese. Hem and Haw, however, are less pragmatic. They moan about the unfairness of the situation and blame others for moving their cheese.
Even though the cheese is no longer in Station C, Hem and Haw keep going back there, hoping that the cheese will reappear. Haw, eventually realizes that the cheese isn’t going to reappear magically. So, he decides to venture out in pursuit of new cheese. Hem, is far less brave and refuses to leave Station C, but Haw sets out into the unknown, leaving a note for his friend saying, ‘What would you do if you weren’t afraid?’
One of the book’s central messages is that Haw’s notes on the wall serve as encouragement for us all. Many of us are like Hem, and may struggle with the journey of change, taking risks, and venturing forward into the unknown.
So, what are Haw’s insights? And how can we apply these insights to our own lives?
