Sunday, 14 June 2026
BOOK NOTE: Who Moved My Cheese - Dr. Spencer Johnson
"Who Moved My Cheese?" by Dr. Spencer Johnson is a simple short book which makes the essential point that you should not be afraid of change and that operating from fear can be a problem. Instead as it quotes in the book - "If you can realize fast enough that things have changed, you can let go and then quickly move on. You are at an advantage."
The story is told in a weird way. There are two little people, Hem and Haw, and two little mice, Sniff and Scurry. The latter two tend to figure out or anticipate what's coming/changing and then take action. Hem and Haw, like their names suggest, tend to be stuck. It is told through the process of how they adapt to change, in this case "cheese". The cheese that they were always getting, think of it as employment, is gone. Sniff and Scurry move on and they go and find the new place where they can find new cheese. Hem and Haw expect things to be the same and given to them, and that keeps them stuck. Haw eventually learns and moves out and puts in the effort to go find cheese for himself, but Hem stays stuck.
It is not something mind-blowing book but an effective one. I found it simple and easy to read; the book is only about a hundred pages or so. It can be read on a flight or even in an afternoon and is very useful especially when you're thinking about how to adapt to change.
In today's world when so many people are doom scrolling about problems of AI, this book in a short, simple, and effortless way provides a small dose of confidence. The central message is that "mood follows action". To be ready for change anticipated it and don't get stuck, move on.
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