Who Moved My Cheese?

I would like to tell you a quick story about four creatures.

Two of them were mice: Sniff and Scurry. The other two were little people, no bigger than mice: Hem and Haw.

All four lived in a maze, searching for cheese to keep them going.

One day, they found Cheese Station C—a place filled with all the cheese they could ever want. Life was good.

Every morning, they returned to Cheese Station C and enjoyed their fill. But there was a difference between the two groups.

Hem and Haw—the little people—grew comfortable. They believed the cheese would always be there.

Sniff and Scurry—the mice—paid attention. They noticed the cheese supply was shrinking daily.

So when the inevitable happened—when they arrived one morning to find the cheese gone—

• They weren’t surprised or disappointed.
• They simply got moving.

Adaptation. Resilience. Bounce-back-ability.

Seasons change. That’s not bad news; it’s a fact.

When they do, you have to move—even if it means leaving behind what you love. Even if it was your passion project. Even if it was something you spent years building.

Because here’s the truth: There is no more cheese at Cheese Station C.

Sitting there, waiting, won’t make the cheese reappear.

Complaining won’t bring it back. Analyzing it to death won’t change anything.

Back to the Story...

When the mice saw the cheese was gone, they laced up their running shoes and went searching for more.

But Hem and Haw? They stood there, shocked.

They asked, “Who moved our cheese?” They argued. They got frustrated. They waited.

As hunger set in, Haw had a realization:

"We found this station once. We can find another."

But Hem refused to move. He was hemmed in by his denial.

"The cheese was here. The cheese should always be here," he thought.

Eventually, Haw left him behind and set out on his own.

As he ran through the maze, something changed in him.

The fear of leaving the familiar began to dissolve.

Instead of anxiety, he felt excitement.

Taking action is the antidote to fear.

I’ve experienced it myself.

Sometimes, I find myself stuck—overthinking, worrying, fearing the unknown.

But the moment I take that first step, everything shifts.

I go from asking, “Will I make it?” to realizing, “Wow! Why didn’t I do this sooner?”

And guess what?

Haw eventually found Cheese Station N—an even bigger supply of cheese. And who was already there? Sniff and Scurry.

They had moved long ago.

Are you ready for change?

That’s a question you’ll have to answer again and again.

Change doesn’t care how ready you are. The economy won’t wait for your emotions to catch up.

So take a lesson from Sniff and Scurry:

Anticipate change. Not with worry, but with readiness.

Move quickly. The sooner you act, the sooner you find new opportunities.

If you can, grab a copy of Who Moved My Cheese. It’s short, insightful, and worth revisiting.

And remember:

When you let go of Cheese Station C, you’ll find your way to Cheese Station N.

It’s going to be a good week.

Can you feel it?

- Nkechi