Spencer Johnson Quotes & Sayings

He was taking control, rather than simply letting things happen to him. Then — Spencer Johnson

Each of us has our own idea of what Cheese is, and we pursue it because we believe it makes us happy. If we get it, we often become attached to it. And if we lose it, or it's taken away, it can be traumatic. The — Spencer Johnson

If you do not change, you can become extinct ! — Spencer Johnson

Life is no straight and easy corridor along which we travel free and unhampered, but a maze of passages, through which we must seek our way, lost and confused, now and again checked in a blind alley. But always, if we have faith, a door will open for us, not perhaps one that we ourselves — Spencer Johnson

You have more fun and enjoy more financial success when you stop trying to get what you want and start helping other people get what they want. — Spencer Johnson

He learned the two new sports, and in the process, found that doing something new made him feel young. It wasn't long before his boss recognized — Spencer Johnson

Noticing small changes early helps you adapt to the bigger change that are to come — Spencer Johnson

He had to admit that the biggest inhibitor to change lies within yourself, and that nothing gets better until you change. — Spencer Johnson

I guess it's a lot better to initiate change while you can than it is to try to react and adjust to it. Maybe we should move our own Cheese." "What — Spencer Johnson

Got nothing out of it. They either knew the lessons and were already living them, or, more commonly, they thought they already knew everything and didn't want to learn. They couldn't see why so many others were benefitting from it. "When one of our senior executives, who was having difficulty adapting, said the story was a waste of time, other people kidded him saying they knew which character he was in the story - meaning the one who learned nothing new and did not change." "What's the story?" Angela asked. "It's called, Who Moved My Cheese?" The group laughed. "I think I like it already," Carlos said. "Would you tell us the story? Maybe we can get something from it." "Sure," Michael replied. "I'd be happy to-it doesn't take long." And so he began: — Spencer Johnson

Some people never change and they pay a price for it. — Spencer Johnson

Pain is the difference between what is and what I want it to be. — Spencer Johnson

C. Every morning after that, the mice and the Littlepeople dressed in their running gear and headed over to Cheese Station C. It wasn't long before they each established their own routine. Sniff and Scurry continued to wake early every day and race through the Maze, always following the same route. When they arrived at their destination, the mice took off their running shoes, tied them together and hung them around their necks-so they could get to them quickly whenever they needed them again. Then they enjoyed the cheese. In the beginning Hem and Haw also raced toward Cheese Station C every morning to enjoy the tasty new morsels that awaited them. But after a while, a different routine set in for the Littlepeople. Hem and Haw awoke each day a little later, dressed a little slower, and walked to Cheese Station C. After all, they knew where the Cheese was — Spencer Johnson

He realized his fears were making things worse. So he did what he would do if he weren't afraid. He moved in a new direction. As he started running down the dark corridor he began to smile. Haw didn't realize it yet, but he was discovering what nourished his soul. He was letting go and trusting what lay ahead for him, even though he did not know exactly what it was. To his surprise, Haw started to enjoy himself more and more. "Why do I feel so good?" he wondered. "I don't have any Cheese and I don't know where I am going." Before long, he knew why he felt good. — Spencer Johnson

As Haw prepared to leave, he started to feel more alive, knowing that he was finally able to laugh at himself, let go and move on. — Spencer Johnson

Some preliminary conversation, he said, You look like you're in a good place, despite the bad times I understand you've been through. — Spencer Johnson

She said, "I'm curious. How many here are afraid of change?" No one responded so she suggested, "How about a show of hands?" Only one hand went up. "Well, it looks like we've got one honest person in our group!" she said. And then continued, "Maybe you'll like this next question better. How many here think other people are afraid of change?" Practically everyone raised their hands. Then they all started laughing. — Spencer Johnson

While in the past we may have wanted loyal employees, today we need flexible people who are not possessive about "the way things are done around here." And — Spencer Johnson

Smell The Cheese Often So You Know When It Is Getting Old Sometime — Spencer Johnson

The fastest way to change is to laugh at your own folly — Spencer Johnson

That when you change what you believe, you change what you do. — Spencer Johnson

My Cheese? is a story about change — Spencer Johnson

Movement In A New Direction Helps You Find New Cheese. Haw — Spencer Johnson

When you move beyond your fear, you feel free. — Spencer Johnson

Haw smiled. He knew Hem was wondering, "Who moved my cheese?" but Haw was wondering, "Why didn't I get up and move with the Cheese, sooner?" As — Spencer Johnson

In the third section, A Discussion, people discuss what The Story meant to them and how they are going to use it in their work and in their lives. Some readers of this book's early manuscript preferred to stop at the end of The Story, without reading further, and interpret its meaning for themselves. Others enjoyed reading A Discussion that follows because it stimulated their thinking about how they might apply what they'd learned to their own situation. Everyone knows that not all change is good or even necessary. But in a world that is constantly changing, it is to our advantage to learn how to adapt and enjoy something better. In any case, I hope each time you re-read Who Moved My Cheese? you will find something new and useful in the brief story, as I do, and that it will help you deal with change and bring you success, whatever you decide success is for you. I hope you enjoy what you discover, and I wish you well. — Spencer Johnson

It is safer to search in the maze than to remain in a cheeseless situation — Spencer Johnson

Integrity is telling myself the truth. And honesty is telling the truth to other people. — Spencer Johnson

A change imposed is a change opposed. But — Spencer Johnson

Finding inner success is the best, easiest and infact the only way to achieve and enjoy everything else in life. — Spencer Johnson

Look at what happened in the Past. Learn something valuable from it. Do things differently in the present. — Spencer Johnson

Repeating the same behavior will just get you the same results. "As — Spencer Johnson

Being in the uncomfortable zone is much better than staying in the cheese-less situation . — Spencer Johnson

He asked himself those some questions too many times and felt the fears again that kept him where he was — Spencer Johnson

You Cannot Always Control External Events, But You Can Control Your Personal Peaks And Valleys By What You Believe And What You Do. — Spencer Johnson

It Is Natural For Everyone Everywhere To Have Peaks And Valleys At Work And In Life. — Spencer Johnson

I think you have to be much more secure and much less angry to trust the simple. You've got to be in a pretty good place to trust those simple, obvious answers and, most important, to use them. — Spencer Johnson

The man realized that what counted was not where a person lived, but how a person lived. — Spencer Johnson

And yet, as you know, living in constant white water with the changes occurring all the time at work or in life can be stressful, unless people have a way of looking at change that helps them understand it. Enter the Cheese story. When — Spencer Johnson

What would I do if I weren't afraid? Haw — Spencer Johnson

I guess we resist changing, because we are afraid of change. — Spencer Johnson

If you don't change, you will become extinct. — Spencer Johnson

When you stop being afraid you feel good — Spencer Johnson

behind the wall." The next day, Hem and Haw returned with tools. Hem held the chisel, while Haw banged on the hammer until they made a hole in the wall of Cheese Station C. They peered inside but found no Cheese. They were disappointed but believed they could solve the problem. So they started — Spencer Johnson

He decided that if he ever got the chance again, he would get out of his comfort zone and adapt to change sooner. It would make things easier. Then, — Spencer Johnson

Movement in new direction helps find new cheese. — Spencer Johnson

It Is Hard To Let Go Of The Past If You Have Not Learned From The Past. As Soon As You Learn And Let Go, You Improve The Present Today. — Spencer Johnson

Dr. Johnson's enticing images and language give us a fundamentally sound and memorable way of managing change." - Albert J. Simone, President ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY "Spencer Johnson's unique insights and storytelling make this a rare book that can be read and understood quickly by everyone who wants to do well in these changing times." - Randy Harris, Former Vice-Chairman MERRILL LYNCH INTERNATIONAL "This book is a simple, understandable road map for us to use as we deal with our own individual circumstances around change." - Michael Morley, Senior Vice President EASTMAN KODAK "This wonderful book is an asset to any person or group that applies its lessons." - John A. Lopiano, Senior V.P. XEROX CORPORATION — Spencer Johnson

He knew sometimes some fear can be good. When you are afraid things are going to get worse if you don't do something, it can prompt you into action. But it is not good when you are afraid that it keeps you from doing anything. — Spencer Johnson

Being In The Present Means Tuning Out Distractions And Paying Attention To What Is Important, Now. You Create Your Own Present By What You Give Your Attention To Today. — Spencer Johnson

IF you don't change, you can become extinct! — Spencer Johnson

The fear you let build up in your mind is worse than the situation that actually exist — Spencer Johnson

Look At How You Feel About What Happened In The Past. Learn Something Valuable From It. Use What You Have Learned To Make Your Work And Life More Enjoyable Today. — Spencer Johnson

Change happens when the pain of holding on becomes greater than the fear of letting go. — Spencer Johnson

The Present Is Not The Past And It Is Not The Future. The Present Is The Present Moment! The Present Is Right Now! — Spencer Johnson

What you are afraid of is never as bad as what you imagine. The fear you let build up in your mind is worse than the situation that actually exists. — Spencer Johnson

I guess the question is, 'What do we need to let go of and what do we need to move on to?'" No — Spencer Johnson

Haw said, "Sometimes, Hem, 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." Haw — Spencer Johnson

Who Moved My Cheese?: The Story ONCE, long ago in a land far away, there lived four little characters who ran through a Maze looking for cheese to nourish them and make them happy. Two were mice, named "Sniff" and "Scurry" and two were Littlepeople - beings who were as small as mice but who looked and acted a lot like people today. Their names were "Hem" and "Haw." Due to their small size, it would be easy not to notice what the four of them were doing. But if you looked closely enough, you could discover the most amazing things! Every day the mice and the Littlepeople spent time in the Maze looking for their own special cheese. The mice, Sniff and Scurry, possessing simple brains and good instincts, searched for the hard — Spencer Johnson

Be Ready to Quickly Change Again and Again. — Spencer Johnson

When you move beyond your fears, you feel free — Spencer Johnson

Haw was beginning to realize the difference between activity and productivity. — Spencer Johnson

Sometimes, Hem, 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. — Spencer Johnson

I was taking myself very seriously when I was going through life changes. And I realized that I needed to laugh at myself, particularly at my mistakes. — Spencer Johnson

It all depends on what you choose to believe. — Spencer Johnson

The Path Out Of The Valley Appears When You Choose To See Things Differently. — Spencer Johnson

Remember: Move with the Cheese! Ken — Spencer Johnson

Turned and ran down another. They remembered the corridors that held no cheese and quickly went into new areas. Sniff would smell out the general direction of the cheese, using his great nose, and Scurry would race ahead. They got lost, as you might expect, went off in the wrong direction and often bumped into walls. But after a while, they found their way. Like the mice, the two Littlepeople, Hem and Haw, also used their ability to think and learn from their past experiences. However, they relied on their complex brains to develop more sophisticated methods of finding Cheese. Sometimes they did well, but at other times their powerful human beliefs and emotions took over and clouded the way they looked at things. It made life in the Maze more complicated and challenging. Nonetheless, Sniff, Scurry, Hem and Haw all discovered, in their own way, what they were looking for. They each found their own kind of cheese one day at the end of one of the corridors in Cheese Station — Spencer Johnson

Then when I heard the story of Who Moved My Cheese?, I realized my job was to paint a picture of 'New Cheese' that we would all want to pursue, so we could enjoy changing and succeeding, whether it was at work or in life. — Spencer Johnson

You Change Your Valley Into A Peak When You Find And Use The Good That Is Hidden In The Bad Time. — Spencer Johnson

As time went on, Sniff and Scurry continued their routine. They arrived early each morning and sniffed and scratched and scurried around Cheese Station C, inspecting the area to see if there had been any changes from the day before. Then they would sit down to nibble on the cheese. One morning they arrived at Cheese Station C and discovered there was no cheese. They weren't surprised. Since Sniff and Scurry had noticed the supply of cheese had been getting smaller every day, they were prepared for the inevitable and knew instinctively what to do. They looked at each other, removed the running shoes they had tied together and hung conveniently around their necks, put them on their feet and laced them up. The mice did not overanalyze things. To the mice, the problem and the answer were both simple. The situation at Cheese Station C had changed. So, Sniff and Scurry decided to change. They both looked out into the Maze. Then Sniff — Spencer Johnson

Change could surprise you only if you didn't expect it and weren't looking for it — Spencer Johnson

Life moves on and so should we — Spencer Johnson

You Create A Peak When You Truly Follow Your Sensible Vision. Your Fear Fades And You Become More Peaceful And Successful. — Spencer Johnson

Better late than never. — Spencer Johnson

It's time to find New Cheese." Hem argued, "But what if there is no Cheese out there? Or even if there is, what if you don't find it?" "I don't know," Haw said. He had asked himself those same questions too many times and felt the fears again that kept him where he was. He asked himself, "Where am I more likely to find Cheese - here or in the Maze? — Spencer Johnson

The Most Common Reason You Leave A Peak Too Soon Is Arrogance, Masquerading As Confidence. The Most Common Reason You Stay In A Valley Too Long Is Fear, Masquerading As Comfort. — Spencer Johnson

Them smile. One read: Having Cheese Makes You Happy. Sometimes Hem and Haw would take their friends by to see their pile of Cheese at Cheese Station C, and point to it with pride, saying, "Pretty nice Cheese, huh?" Sometimes they shared it with their friends and sometimes they didn't. "We deserve this Cheese," Hem said. "We certainly had to work long and hard enough to find it." He picked up a nice fresh piece and ate it. Afterward, Hem fell asleep, as he often did. Every night the Littlepeople would waddle home, full of Cheese, and every morning they would confidently return for more. This went on for quite some time. After a while Hem's and Haw's confidence grew into the arrogance of success. Soon they became so comfortable they didn't even notice what was happening. As — Spencer Johnson

He knew some fear should be respected, as it can keep you out of real
danger. But he realized most of his fears were irrational and had kept him
from changing when he needed to. — Spencer Johnson

Sometimes we're not even aware that we're afraid. — Spencer Johnson

Little story that changed everything." "How so?" Nathan asked. "Well, the story changed the way I looked at change - from losing something to gaining something - and it showed me how to do it. After that, things quickly improved-at work and in my life. "At first I was annoyed with the obvious simplicity of the story because it sounded like something we might have been told in school. "Then I realized I was really annoyed with myself for not seeing the obvious and doing what works when things change. "When I realized the four characters in the story represented the various parts of myself, I decided who I wanted to act like and I changed. "Later, I passed the story on to some people in our company and they passed it on to others, and soon our business did much better, because most of us adapted to change better. And like me, many people said it helped them in their personal lives. "However there were a few people who said they — Spencer Johnson

I grew up in Hollywood, California. A lot of my parents' friends were in the motion picture industry, but I saw their doctor friends as more solid. I admired them; there was a peacefulness in them, a sense of purpose that I liked. So I became very interested in being a surgeon. — Spencer Johnson

You Get Out Of A Valley Sooner When You Manage To Get Outside Of Yourself: At Work, By Being Of Greater Service, And In Life, By Being More Loving. — Spencer Johnson

In The Story you will see that the two mice do better when they are faced with change because they keep things simple, while the two Littlepeople's complex brains and human emotions complicate things. It is not that mice are smarter. We all know people are more intelligent than mice. However, as you watch what the four characters do, and realize both the mice and the Littlepeople represent parts of ourselves-the simple and the complex - you can see it would be to our advantage to do the simple things that work when things change. In — Spencer Johnson

The More Important Your Cheese Is To You The More You Want To Hold On To It. — Spencer Johnson

As far as work goes, maybe instead of changing jobs, I should be changing the way I am doing my job. I'd probably have a better position by now if I did. — Spencer Johnson

Between Peaks There Are Always Valleys. How You Manage Your Valley Determines How Soon You Reach Your Next Peak. — Spencer Johnson

See what you're doing wrong, laugh at it, change and do better. — Spencer Johnson

What would you do if you were not afraid ? — Spencer Johnson

The quicker you let go of old cheese, the sooner you find new cheese. — Spencer Johnson