Finding the Cheese in Life
Sometimes big things can come in small packages, as with the short story titled “Who Moved My Cheese?” After first flipping through the pages of this thin 96-page book, I was surprised that it wasn’t supposed to be in the children’s section of the bookstore. I noticed the large font, wide margins and simple syntax and thought it would be almost impossible to learn anything useful from a book of such simplicity. Looking back, I see how wrong I was for making such a hasty judgment and from here on out, I vow to never judge a book by the size of the letters or the number of pages, in addition to the more well-known maxim of not judging a book by its cover. I say this not without warrant; for I probably learned more pertinent information about life and success from reading “Who Moved My Cheese?” than from tons of other business books combined. The author of this great story has accomplished something worthy of applaud. Spencer Johnson has taken a great deal of tried-and-true advice and cut out the fat, strained out the fluff and boiled it down to the pure necessity of what works in real life. With his philosophy at hand, anyone can realize that change happens whether we’d like it or not. It is up to us to either adapt to that change, or be left behind in the dust of our own stubborn foolishness.
As I began reading “Who Moved My Cheese,” I kept reminding myself to slow down, so as to savor every word and contemplate every thought. Nevertheless, before I knew it, I had finished the book and without pause I did something I haven’t done in a very long time: I re-read it from cover to cover. Upon my second reading, it became clear that the message Dr. Johnson is teaching us relates more with life in general, rather than only with the world of business. In life, “cheese” comes in all varieties, just like the kind of cheese we eat. Some “cheese” may have a strong odor and it takes courage just to try it. Other cheeses are not complete, in that they are filled with many holes. Yet other cheeses get better with age, but to the uninformed, their outward appearance gives the impression that they have spoiled. I could go on and on with the cheese analogy, but the point should be clear; the changes we make in life are not always easy. Some changes involve risk, some seem like they’ll never work and yet others are misleading at first glance. What Dr. Johnson tells us is that rather than whine over the specific “cheese” that we’ve been dealt, let’s go out and find the cheese we want.
Finding the cheese is not always easy, because we don’t always know what we want. Because of this, many people take the easy way out and stumble through life while forgetting the fact that we are in control of our own successes and failures. What it comes down to is fear, and as the book points out, we must conquer this fear and take calculated risks at times, or else the “risk” we take by doing nothing is certain failure. As Dr. Johnson put it, “It is safer to search in the maze than remain in a cheeseless situation.” We don’t like to search, because that means hard work, getting lost, asking for help and learning from our mistakes. However, all of these things are necessary if we ever wish to be successful in life or in business.
After having considered all of this, what amazes me is that I never thought about such complex concepts in such simple terms prior to reading “Who Moved My Cheese?” A truly great teacher is someone who can take a complex subject and simplify it while improving on the basic message. Combine that skill with the ability to motivate and captivate the reader and the end result is Spencer Johnson. His compact book will go down in history as a terrific gem built around sound advice that works for all of us.
So now that I understand the dynamics of change, I plan on incorporating them into my own life. Whenever I find myself cruising through life hemming and hawing about one thing or another, I’ll remind myself that success does not come easy, nor does it stay in one place for long. For example, the strategies and knowledge I have acquired thus far in my college education may help me find a job, but a degree does not guarantee I’ll keep it. On the other hand, if I commit myself to being a lifelong learner, I can anticipate change by staying alert and then adapt almost effortlessly to the new environment. In this respect, change is welcomed when it is understood. For with change comes the adventure of moving confidently into a fresh chapter of life with new challenges and new rewards. Moreover, successful change brings the satisfaction of knowing that we’ve not only improved our own standing, but have also made the world a better place, by proving that virtually anything is possible with the right formula for success.
Works Cited
Johnson, Spencer. Who Moved My Cheese? New York: Putnam, 1998.
