Growth Rings: Where did the cheese go?

Growth Rings:  Where did the cheese go?

It takes a significant emotional experience to cause people to change. This experience has to be emotional so as to generate enough energy to break out of established patterns and routines. The experience can be something really good, like falling in love or the birth of a child, or something very hard like being fired from a job or the death of a loved one. The experience can happen with the speed of a thunderbolt or be something that has built up over time. But for change to happen, emotions must be engaged. 

Spencer Johnson’s book Who Moved My Cheese? tells the story of dealing with change. It is an insightful quick read that in many ways illustrates emotions and beliefs people today have regarding change. 

The story’s four characters, two mice, "Sniff" and "Scurry," and two little people named “Hem” and “Haw”, live in a maze. Their search for security and happiness in the maze leads them to “Cheese Station C”. Hem and Haw believed the cheese would be there forever, become comfortable, establish routines, and settled. 

The two mice, Sniff and Scurry, pay attention over time and noticed the cheese at Cheese Station C is dwindling. They mentally prepared for the day when the cheese would run out and they would have to search for new cheese.

One day Sniff and Scurry arrive at Cheese Station C to find no cheese left, but they were not surprised. They had prepared for this and took off to find new cheese.

When Hem and Haw arrive at Cheese Station C later that day, they found the same thing, no cheese. Hem and Haw had not seen this coming, were unprepared, became angry and cried out, “Who moved the cheese?” When Hem and Haw realized the cheese was not coming back, Haw suggested going into the maze to look for new cheese. Hem, frustrated and disappointed, rejected the idea.

Searching for new cheese, Sniff and Scurry found it at “Cheese Station N”. Back at Cheese Station C, Hem and Haw paralyzed by fear, could not let go of their old thinking, and blame each other for their condition. Haw finally realizes Hem was not going give up his old thinking, decided to move on, enter the maze to seek new cheese. Before leaving, Haw left Hem a message written on the wall of Cheese Station C "If You Do Not Change, You Can Become Extinct". 

As Haw overcame his fears in the maze, he comes to ask himself “What Would You Do If You Weren’t Afraid?” Haw smiles and with his new mindset, begins to enjoy life again. He finds some bits of cheese which sustains him and keeps moving him forward. He still worries about the unknown but brushes his fears aside realizing that "When you move beyond your fear, you feel free." Haw decides to go back and share with Hem what he has learned.

Returning to Hem, Haw shares what he has learned. Hem rejects Haw’s discoveries. Sadly, Haw leaves his friend and returns to the maze to seek new cheese. Haw decides to leave writings on the wall to help Hem should he decides to follow, realizing that Hem needs to decide his fate for himself. 

Growth Rings

For Sniff and Scurry, they realized a change was coming and mentally prepared for the day. For Hem and Haw, when changed happened, they became angered, frustrated and grieved. Haw finally excepted change and moved on. For Hem, he could not get past grieving. 

Haw’s 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.
• 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!
• Be Ready to Change Quickly and Enjoy It Again. They Keep Moving the Cheese.

This story speaks on many levels. As we move from the Industrial Age to the Post-Industrial Information Age, the cheese is indeed being moved. Our mindset and how we choose to react to this will determine our mental health and “if we become extinct.” As you think of yourself which character do you identify with, Sniff, Scurry, Hem or Haw? As you think of your co-workers and friends, which character would they be? 

Growth Rings

Change is happening. Enjoy today’s cheese, but be aware, and be prepared to seek new cheese.  Begin now to reflect and develop flexibility, creativity, and courage in your thinking. Learn to become comfortable with uncomfortable. Two big takeaways: "If You Do Not Change, You Can Become Extinct" and "When you move beyond your fear, you feel free."