Hello everyone! I recently picked up this book ‘Who Moved My Cheese?’ and it sounded pretty amusing. However, given that it was a self-help book, I decided to read it. I ended up reading this book so fast, not only because it was short but because it was so interesting and well composed! In this article, I will be reviewing this book, as well as sharing some of the lessons I learnt along the way.
Disclaimer: As always, pick what advice best fits and suits you. You choose what to believe in. I also picked the advice that I wanted to believe in!
What this book is about:
This book ‘Who Moved My Cheese?’ is a business fable based around mice but also how we can incorporate this message into our daily lives and businesses. It is based on two mice, Sniff and Scurry, who are normal mice, as well Hem and Haw who are mouse-size humans. The Cheese is the metaphor for what we want and the book describes how to deal with change.
What it has taught me:
It would be more helpful to read the book and the story before the lessons as it will make more sense if you do 🙂
From Sniff and Scurry: Don’t overanalyze or overcomplicate things. When the Cheese moved, they changed and moved with the cheese. Laugh and move on.
In life, after we have reached/accomplished one goal, you will have the next one. Many people want to achieve their goals but don’t realise that great goals are achieved with great change. You need to take calculated risks in order to achieve goals. For example, if you lose your job, instead of being upset for too long, sniff out the situation and see the change early. Go into action immediately.
From Haw: Envision yourself in detail and use your past mistakes to learn from them for your future.
Haw eventually found the cheese and he did that using logic and rationale, which is what us humans are better at doing than animals. We have been blessed with brains, so Haw used his mind to envision himself with the New Cheese and he kept things simple by trying new routes, remembering which routes were wrong and then moving quickly. Having a goal motivates you to keep going.
From Haw: Challenge your irrational fears by trying and leaving negative energy and document your lessons.
Some fear is good to keep you out of danger but most fears are irrational and stop you from changing. You can eliminate these fears by trying constantly and letting go of people that do not want to see you change e.g. Hem. The change might be a blessing in disguise so Haw ensured he did small changes, and everytime he learnt something new, he would write it on the walls. This may have also helped Hem out.
From Haw: Always have options and be aware of your surroundings.
Even though Haw got the new Cheese, he often went out in the Maze and explored new areas to stay in touch with what was happening around him. It was safer to be aware of his real choices rather than isolate himself in his comfort zone. Therefore, once you have achieved something, celebrate and enjoy your achievements but also remember to be aware of other opportunities and goals.
From Hem: Stop victimising yourself.
Don’t feel like a victim when something is taken away. Don’t blame others. You have to move on, otherwise someone else will be winning because they were able to adapt to change quicker. Ask yourself: ‘what do we need to let go of and what do we need to move on to?’ This could also be applied to relationships or your behaviour with someone and ‘New Cheese’ could be letting go of old behaviour. Savour the adventure and move with the Cheese.
What I like about this book:
This book was so simple, easy to understand yet taught so many new lessons! I loved how the last chapter also had examples of where people used the lessons from this simple fable on mice with the real life situations, from their businesses to their relationships. It was short, sweet and succinct.
The possible improvements to the book:
Honestly, this is one of the books where there is not much I wish this book had. Perhaps, there was a lot of repetition in the book, but this was to reiterate the points so it is fine.
My Rating: 5/5
This book is a book I would recommend to any age group and it is so simple to read! I would recommend you also think about how you can apply these lessons to your own life as well! This is definitely one of the best books I read this year.
Where to buy the book from (not sponsored):
I hope you have enjoyed reading this article. This link is not sponsored. Comment down below if you have read the book too. If you enjoyed this article, please check out my other articles too:
- My 2023 Reflections As A Medical Student
- My First Term of Medical School | Exams, Essays and Events
- My First Month of Medical School | Moving Out, Freshers And Workload
- The Ultimate Guide To Ace Year 12 | Revision, Friendships And Supercurriculars
- How I Got All A*s At GCSEs | 10 Tips Every Year 11 Student Should Know
Thank you for reading, and have a lovely day!