Welcome, friends — If you are reading this, I want to express my sincere appreciation for your support. You are the early adopters, the first members of an audience that will undoubtedly expand. I am truly excited about this, and it would mean a great deal to me if you share this link with your friends and encourage them to subscribe: https://resonance.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Now onto this week’s article:

Who Moved My Cheese 🧀?

Hello friends, I am back. It's been a few weeks since my last publication. I've been traveling, and as someone who heavily relies on what Stephen King refers to as a "Closed door" – uninterrupted deep work time – where I can type all of this out in one sitting, I was unable to do so until today.

This week, a book and a subsequent conversation resonated with me, to the extent that I've decided to share it with all of you. The book, despite being a bit unorthodox and "cheesy" in nature, has been regarded as a classic by some, and has even made its way onto the NY Times bestseller list (though, what book hasn't?). As I read, I found it to be remarkably thought-provoking.

By the way, just to reiterate, my primary aim with my writing is to provoke thought and increase your self-awareness.

Now, onto the book itself – "Who Moved My Cheese?" by Spencer Johnson. It's a fable, an entirely fictional story, but it excels at conveying a profound message.

The story introduces four characters. I won't delve into the entire narrative because the book is quite short, there are PDFs available online: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8KT1A-BlL1NU3lmZ05ERWlEbDA/preview?resourcekey=0-Teu5_QSOA0E7Z919NEa75A & I truly believe it's worth reading. Plus, it's so concise that you should be able to get through it even if you have a TikTok attention span.

In this story, we follow these characters as they navigate a treacherous maze filled with numerous twists, turns, and dead ends, all in search of one thing: cheese (Cheddar, if you will).

Each character approaches and experiences the maze differently.

Early in the story, they stumble upon an area teeming with cheese. They feast and rejoice, having found what seems like an endless supply of cheese. Yet, one day, the cheese is gone. Two of the characters simply glance at each other, shrug, and venture back into the maze without much concern, determined to find more. These are the "mice" characters, navigating the maze through trial and error (sniffing and scurrying). The other two characters are more "human," possessing a higher level of cognitive ability. These two "human" characters became attached to “their” cheese, even defining themselves by the cheese they discovered within the maze. They felt like geniuses and invincible conquerors for having navigated the maze and unearthed the cheese. But what occurs when someone "moves their cheese"? They're gripped with terror at the thought of re-entering the maze. They'd become so comfortable that they're utterly lost when it comes to navigating the maze once more. Their well has run dry, and they're clueless about finding more water. One character is especially defeated and outraged that someone dared to relocate "his" cheese. He refuses to leave, insisting that the cheese return to its rightful place. The idea of venturing back into the maze is so daunting and unpredictable that he'd rather sit in an empty room than set out in search of it. He clings to his comfort and resists innovation or change.

His companion shares similar feelings. They're in this predicament together, both having grown reliant on the cheese. The maze appears frightening; there's no guarantee they'll find their way again. They'd expend energy with no certainty. Conversely, they could remain where they are, with no assurance that cheese will ever come their way again.

So, what's the takeaway 🧀?

Eventually, the more open-minded character reaches a point where he can laugh at himself. He recognizes the absurdity of waiting around when there's an entire maze waiting to be navigated – a maze where they can find new cheese station just as they found the previous one. The goal was never the specific cheese that has now vanished; it was the pursuit of cheese itself. He leaves his pessimistic companion behind and plunges back into the supposedly "terrifying" maze. What he discovers is that navigating the maze, embracing change, is far more exhilarating and satisfying than waiting for the old cheese to return. Besides, he realizes, even if it did return, it wouldn't carry the same thrill as when they first discovered it.

This character learns a lot about himself on his journey and shares his lessons learned along the way. Eventually, stumbling upon trails of cheese here and there, he discovers an area with even more cheese than the previous one. More than he could ever need. This wouldn't have been possible if he hadn't confronted his fears and stepped into the unknown, rather than wallow in the fact that change had occurred.

Applying this to the real world 🧀:

While reading this, I envision a business led by a seasoned industry veteran in a field that the market is passing by. Consider the paper and printing industry as the world shifted to digital. Those who used to print flyers and other paper marketing materials found themselves with no cheese as everything went online. I imagine them idly waiting, seeing their client base dwindling, but instead of venturing into new skills or recognizing the evolving needs of businesses and customers, they insist on maintaining the status quo. They resist change and wonder why anyone would ever embrace digital. Meanwhile, younger employees urge the founder to innovate, but he's nostalgic for the old days and unwilling to take risks to adapt. His attachment to the business he had built over the years and he had put so much time and energy into has led to complacency.

The core lesson of the story revolves around mindset, emphasizing the journey over the destination. It's about a love for the game, the maze, and nurturing a passion for learning instead of fixating on the cheese itself. The cheese is just a by-product. Cheddar is an excellent servant but becomes a terrible master, particularly when complacency sets in and it relocates from under your nose.

3 Questions:

What are you fearing or avoiding addressing?

Are you actively putting yourself in uncertain or unfamiliar situations to hone your maze navigating skills?

What could you put more attention on in your life to avoid complacency?

Remember, our world is in a constant state of change; adapting is imperative. Learn to appreciate the maze rather than fixating on the comfort of the cheese you believe you've earned and rightfully deserve. As the book aptly states, "they keep moving the cheese."

Wishing you all a fantastic week,

G