How To Deal with Change after Being Stuck for a While

Book Summary of Who Moved My Cheese?

Nov 06, 2022

Author of book- Dr Spencer Johnson

man holding light walking inside tunnel — Photo by Wil Stewart on Unsplash

Are you just starting Uni after sitting at home for a while? Or did you just resume Uni after this very long ASUU strike and adjusting to a new schedule has been a bit difficult. Don’t worry because LamLam got you🤗. Please continue reading to find out how best to handle your current situation.

When I picked up this book, I never thought I’d enjoy it as much as I did. I thought it was just another self-help book which I would drop half-way but I was wrong. This book single-handedly reduced my dislike for non-fiction books. And for people like me who don’t really like reading non-fiction books, the way I’ve figured to get around it is to read book summaries which contains most if not all of the valid points in the whole book. So dear reader, please keep scrolling.

I read this book in my first week at UNILORIN and because I had stayed at home for so long, I was kind of afraid of the change that was going to happen. This book taught me to reflect on the mistakes I’ve made in the past and use them to plan for my future. I shouldn’t feel entitled to things and I should learn to strike out and find my own cheese. And if I do not adapt in time, I might as well not adapt at all.

The story starts with high school classmates who gathered for a reunion. One of them, Michael, has read the book- Who Moved My Cheese and told them how it helped him greatly in his organization. Due to the request of others, he narrates the story in the book.

The story follows the lives of four creatures- two mice named Sniff and Scurry and two little people named Hem and Haw. The four of them always searched round the maze for cheese. Relating this to our world, the maze represents life in general and the cheese represents what you need or think you need to make you happy- it could be a new job, promotion, new house, relationship, University admission or even money.

Sniff, just as his name suggests always sniff out the cheese station to get the aroma of the cheese and where it’s coming from. The Sniffs among us mark out their situation, what’s the right decision to get what they want from life? Who are the people they should meet? Where is the best place to be?

Scurry just like his name too scurries into action after Sniff has sniffed the situation. Scurries among us take action and adapt to change very early. They do not get too comfortable in a place.

Turns out all four of them have been looking for cheese and later found a large pile at a cheese station. Scuff and Scurry hung their shoes around their necks in case they may need it again while Ham and Haw felt very comfortable and made the cheese station their new home. Alas! One day, the cheese was moved.

Sniff and Scurry immediately swung back into action and started looking for cheese elsewhere. But Hem, just like his name was hemmed in! He refused to let go of the old cheese which was no longer there to find new cheese. He felt entitled to cheese he has been getting all this while and was angry with the person that moved the cheese.

Hems today are people who resist change by all means and are not ready to adapt. They cry over their split milk and are always on about the Backslider blues- the good ol’ days.

Haw, his friend on the other hand, also reacted the same way as Hem but when he saw that he and Hem were only lamenting about their situation and were getting hungrier and weak by the day, he thought about Sniff and Scurry and felt they may be enjoying new cheese elsewhere.

He tried to convince Hem but wasn’t able to. Though his fear got a better part of him at first but later on, he decided he had to change his situation and strike out to look for cheese on his own.

Haws today are those who are not willing to get out of their comfort zone, they like being safe and secured, they want a steady paycheck or salary and are scared when they face new challenges. But all the same, when life throws a lemon at them, they make a lemonade even if it takes them more time. Better late than never.

Haw’s instinct was correct. Sniff and Scurry had found a new cheese station with lots and lots of cheese. Haw had to really stretch himself to keep looking for cheese in all corners and corridors, he got lost a few times but reminded himself of the vision (he could see himself enjoying lots of cheese), this kept him going and he later found the cheese station where Sniff and Scurry were.

Hem was left out of the story at this point. He either finally started looking for new cheese or starved to death at the former cheese station. Though at a point in the new cheese station, Haw could hear distant footsteps towards the new cheese station and hoped it was Hem.

The high school classmates later gathered to talk about the book and how to apply it in their daily lives.

Change happens, Anticipate them, Monitor change, Adapt to change quickly, Enjoy change, Be ready to change quickly and Enjoy change again and again. Imagine yourself enjoying the best things you want for yourself and strike out to achieve them. Don’t be hemmed in one place.

So, which are you- Sniff, Scurry, Hem or Haw?

LamLam the storyteller

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