Who Moved My Cheese?: A Book Review

September 15, 2021

Who Moved My Cheese?: A Book Review

Are you someone who resists change? Do you find it excruciatingly painful to jump out of your comfort zone? Does your fickle mind time and again give you baseless excuses, scotching you from seeing what good lies ahead whenever you decide to take a leap of faith and move forward?

Well, trust me, I too had ‘Yes’ as an answer to these questions until I finished reading the magnum opus titled, ‘Who Moved My Cheese?’ by Spencer Johnson. Published in 1998, this motivational business fable holds impeccable relevance in our personal lives too, and shall continue to do so in the times to come as well. Having read the book twice, i.e., at two different junctures in my life, I can certainly vouch for one thing. Regardless of which phase and where you are in your life, this fictitious story will always resonate with you and stop the butterflies in your stomach from bothering you anymore. You can never not relate to the pearls of wisdom that this book offers.

The most intriguing fact about the author’s writing style is his idea of using cheese as a metaphor for anything and everything in life that we yearn for, like a good job, a warm relationship, money, wealth, satisfaction, peace of mind, etc. In this way, the book proves its ubiquitousness in all facets and stages of our lives.

The riveting opus successfully strikes a chord with its readers from the very beginning. It is indeed a pleasant surprise to have come across a condensed parable like this to have given profound lessons for an entire lifetime in an hour-long read. Besides having the adaptability to unexpected changes at its core, the book also subtly touches upon the fearful mindset of humans, their deep-rooted beliefs, and false presumptions that inhibit their growth. It elusively makes us realize how much we tend to hold back, and how easy it is to let go always.

Well, there’s no denying how challenging it is for us to accept change as the law of nature. Being the only constant in our lives, the author helps undo the resistance that one feels upon encountering unforeseen changes. The fable beautifully unfolds in layers how adaptability is the only key. The book remarkably lays down how on the basis of reaction to a new change, there are four kinds or sets of people, namely Sniff, Scurry, Hem, and Haw. Each of the four characters is reflective of partly dominant traits in people around us, like some who take vicissitude as a curse.

Others take change as a blessing in disguise. Further, a few others as an opportunity. Apart from the fable, the enlightening discussion in the end among real people discussing their varied points of view and life experiences also wholesomely sums up every thought that the reader might have after reading the amusing and entertaining fable.

Honestly, I cannot begin to tell how many times my eyes widened, my brain uttered WOW and my nerves felt a rush of courage and confidence upon receiving the liberating ideas and principles offered by this book. The author indeed helps embrace changes faster than any other webinar or session focused on the same. With an adequate dose of motivation coupled with humor and philosophy, the book serves like a pill negating the erroneously misted outlook towards new developments. The phrase “What would you do if you weren’t afraid?” stays with the readers for the longest time and helps deal with all the variables in one’s life.

In an organizational setup where constant dramatic shifts are seen in technology, consumer tastes, laws and regulations, political and international conditions, reacting quickly and being flexible enough to respond and adapt have become indomitable cornerstones to success. Thereby, the business environment has been as dynamic as the man’s life. There are changes taking place constantly, requiring us to act sooner to minimize the damage.

If you feel it’s hard for you to change with changing circumstances or your team members have been defiant to accept fresh permutations, then it is time that you grab this copy double quickly to witness the paradigm shift and help others to camouflage themselves with the inevitable cycle of alterations.

Written by- Aakriti Sanghi

Edited by- Riya Khetan

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