“life is no straight and easy corridor along which we travel free and unhampered,

“Life is no straight and easy corridor alongWhich we travel free and unhampered,But a maze of passages,Through which we must seek our way,Lost and confused, now and againChecked in a blind alley.But always, if we have faith,A door will open for us,Not perhaps one that we ourselvesWould ever have thought of,But one that will ultimatelyProve good for us.”

-A. J. Cronin

Who Moved My Cheese?-A Summary of the Story-

Presented byTraveling Coaches

www.travelingcoaches.comAuthor:

Spencer Johnson, M.D.

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The Story

Once upon a time . . . Four little characters who ran

through a maze looking for cheese to nourish them and make them happy

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Four Imaginary Characters

The Mice Sniff Scurry

The Littlepeople (two beings as small as mice but who look and act a lot like people) Hem Haw

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The Search for Cheese

Sniff and Scurry Simple rodent brains Good instincts

Hem and Haw Complex brains Beliefs and emotions

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The Maze

Corridors and chambers Some containing delicious cheese Dark corners and blind alleys leading

nowhere Easy place to get lost

Secrets allowing better life

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Navigating the Maze

Sniff and Scurry Trial and error Often lost Bumped into walls

Hem and Haw Ability to think and learn Perception clouded by beliefs and emotions

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Cheese is found!

Each morning, our four characters race through the maze, eager to enjoy their cheese.

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The Daily Grind

The mice Dressed in their running gear Head over to Cheese Station C

The littlepeople Also raced toward Cheese Station C each

morning Until different routine set in . . .

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Lifestyle of Hem and Haw

Wake a little later

Dress a little slower

Walk to Cheese

Secure

Comfortable

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Having Cheese Makes

You Happy

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The Littlepeople Attitude

Every night, they would return home full of cheese

Every morning, they would confidently return for more

We worked hard, we deserve this Cheese

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Sniff and Scurry Routine

Also returning to their cheese each morning

Sniffed, scratched, scurried around inspecting

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No Cheese for Sniff and Scurry

But since Sniff and Scurry had noticed their diminishing supply of cheese, they weren’t surprised

Prepared for the inevitable

Knew instinctively what to do

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No Cheese for Hem and Haw

Unaware of their changing environment

Unprepared to find their Cheese missing

Who Moved My Cheese?

It’s Not Fair!

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Shock and Disbelief

Response Unattractive Unproductive But understandable

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Importance of Cheese

Meant a great deal more than just having enough to eat every day Material things Good health Family Cozy cottage Position

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While Sniff and Scurry Move On

Hem and Haw continue to hem and haw Ranted and raved about injustice Depression What about future plans?

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The More Important Your Cheese Is To

You

The More You WantTo Hold On To It

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The Next Day . . .

Hem and Haw returned to Cheese Station C expecting to somehow find their cheese

By the way . . . Where are Sniff and Scurry?

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Sniff and Scurry

Farther and farther into the maze Up and down corridors Single goal of finding more cheese Entered an area where they had never

been

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In the Meantime . . .

Hem and Haw still analyzing situation

Angry about the injustice

Looking for benefits

Feeling entitled and betrayed

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Hem vs. Haw

Haw decides to leave

Hem doesn’t want to It’s dangerous I’m too old I might get lost Make a fool of myself We might fail

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Hem’s Idea

Perhaps if we just work harder, we’ll find that nothing has really changed

The difference between activity and productivity

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Waiting For Improvement

Littlepeople growing weak from hunger and stress

Losing their edge

Continue doing the same things over and over and . . .

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Prepare to re-enter the

Maze or

Wait until they put the Cheese back?

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Haw’s Wisdom

“Sometimes things change and they are

never the same again. This looks like one of

those times. That’s life! Life moves on. And so

should we.”

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If You Do Not Change,

You Can Become Extinct

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Fear and Anxiety

What if there is no other Cheese in the maze?

What if I am unable to find Cheese?

Why didn’t I get up and move with the Cheese sooner?

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What Would You Do

If You Weren’t Afraid?

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Back In The Maze

A little Cheese here and there

Confusing

Two steps forward, one step backward

Not easier – but better than Cheeseless situation

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Looking Back

Cheese hadn’t actually disappeared overnight

Smaller and smaller

Old and moldy

Should have anticipated change

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Smell The Cheese Often

So You Know When It Is

Getting Old

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Haw Is Discouraged

Empty Cheese Station Wants to give up Losing physical strength Continuing fear

What would I do if I weren’t afraid?

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Movement In A New Direction

Helps You FindNew Cheese

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When You MoveBeyond Your Fear,

You Feel Free

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Imagining Myself Enjoying New Cheese Even Before I Find It

Leads Me To It

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The Quicker You Let Go Of Old Cheese

The Sooner You FindNew Cheese

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It Is Safer To SearchIn The Maze

Than Remain In ACheeseless Situation

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Old Beliefs

Do Not Lead You

To New Cheese

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When You See That You Can Find And

Enjoy New Cheese

You Change Course

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Noticing Small Changes Early

Helps You Adapt To TheBigger Changes That

Are To Come

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New Cheese

As Haw enjoyed the New Cheese, he reflected on what he had learned Held on to illusion of Cheese when it was

no longer there Learned to laugh at his own folly You can let go and quickly move on

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And Haw Learned

Keep life simple

Don’t overanalyze or complicate

Change with the situation

Envision success

Learn from mistakes and use them to plan for the future

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The Handwriting On The Wall

Change Happens They Keep Moving The Cheese

Anticipate Change Get Ready For The Cheese To Move

Monitor Change Smell the Cheese Often So You Know When

It Is Getting Old

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The Handwriting On The Wall

Adapt To Change Quickly The Quicker You Let Go Of Old Cheese, The

Sooner You Can Enjoy New Cheese

Change Move With The Cheese

Enjoy Change! Savor The Adventure And Enjoy The Taste

Of New Cheese

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The Handwriting On The Wall

Be Ready To Change Quickly And Enjoy It Again And Again They Keep Moving The Cheese

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Move With The Cheese

And Enjoy It!