Haw learns to adapt to change when the cheese they relied on is no longer available. After initially resisting change, Haw decides to explore the maze and find new cheese, while Hem refuses and waits for things to go back to how they were. Haw's willingness to change leads them to successfully find new cheese, while Hem remains empty-handed. The story advocates for accepting and anticipating change rather than resisting it.

1. “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
Would ever have thought of,
But one that will ultimately
Prove good for us.”
-A. J. Cronin

2. Who Moved My Cheese?
-A Summary of the Story-
Presented by
Traveling Coaches
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Author:
Spencer
Johnson, M.D.

3. 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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4. 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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5. The Search for Cheese
 Sniff and Scurry
 Simple rodent brains
 Good instincts
 Hem and Haw
 Complex brains
 Beliefs and emotions
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6. 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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7. 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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8. Cheese is found!
Each morning, our four characters race
through the maze, eager to enjoy their
cheese.
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9. 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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10. Lifestyle of Hem and Haw
 Wake a little later
 Dress a little slower
 Walk to Cheese
 Secure
 Comfortable
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11. Having Cheese Makes
You Happy
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12. 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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13. Sniff and Scurry Routine
 Also returning to
their cheese each
morning
 Sniffed,
scratched,
scurried around
inspecting
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14. 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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15. 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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16. Shock and Disbelief
 Response
 Unattractive
 Unproductive
 But understandable
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17. 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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18. 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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19. The More Important Your
Cheese Is To You
The More You Want
To Hold On To It
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20. 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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21. 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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22. In the Meantime . . .
 Hem and Haw still
analyzing situation
 Angry about the
injustice
 Looking for benefits
 Feeling entitled and
betrayed
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23. 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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24. 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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25. 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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26. Prepare to re-
enter the Maze
or
Wait until they
put the Cheese
back?
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27. 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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28. If You Do Not Change,
You Can Become Extinct
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29. 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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30. What Would You Do
If You Weren’t Afraid?
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31. 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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32. Looking Back
 Cheese hadn’t actually disappeared
overnight
 Smaller and smaller
 Old and moldy
 Should have anticipated change
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33. Smell The Cheese Often
So You Know When It Is
Getting Old
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34. 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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35. Movement In A New
Direction
Helps You Find
New Cheese
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36. When You Move
Beyond Your Fear,
You Feel Free
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37. Imagining Myself
Enjoying New Cheese
Even Before I Find It
Leads Me To It
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38. The Quicker You Let Go
Of Old Cheese
The Sooner You Find
New Cheese
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39. It Is Safer To Search
In The Maze
Than Remain In A
Cheeseless Situation
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40. Old Beliefs
Do Not Lead You
To New Cheese
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41. When You See That You
Can Find And Enjoy New
Cheese
You Change Course
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42. Noticing Small Changes
Early
Helps You Adapt To The
Bigger Changes That Are
To Come
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43. 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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44. 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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45. 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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46. 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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47. 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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48. Move With The Cheese
And Enjoy It!
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