Willam E. Jones, MD

I have just finished reading a remarkable little book about how all of us deal with change in our lives. The author uses "cheese" as a metaphor for anything we value such as our career or a relationship. The story is about two mice and two "Little People" the size of mice. Each of them has different personality traits and each must find his way through a maze in order to reach his "cheese." At the beginning they all find their "cheese" in the maze; so they are content and comfortable. The story continues from there to illustrate the different ways each of them respond when their cheese suddenly disappears.

The mice, being simple creatures, quickly accept that their cheese is gone. Period. No discussion. Without wasting any effort worrying about "why" their cheese disappeared, the mice simply accept that it's gone and quickly decide to go back out into the maze to search for "New Cheese."

The Little People, on the other hand, get hung up worrying about "who" took the cheese, "why" the cheese was taken away, how "unfair" it is that their cheese is gone; and they are convinced that whoever took the cheese will eventually bring it back if they just wait long enough. Unwilling to leave the comfort of their "Old Cheese" room, they are paralyzed with fears and doubts about the prospect of venturing back out into the maze again in search of "New Cheese"; and they remain in the Old Cheese room much too long, steadily growing weaker from hunger. (Think of doctors under managed care.)

Finally they have no choice left except either to remain in the empty "Old Cheese" room and die or else venture back out into the maze in search of "New Cheese." The emotions they experience provide the universal lessons of this marvelously simple little book.

Reading "Who Moved My Cheese" was especially meaningful to me at this time; since I recently decided I have no alternative myself except to venture back out into the "maze" again. After spending so many comfortable, happy years in the "Old Cheese" room of my successful medical practice, I have finally been forced to admit to myself that the managed care companies have "moved my cheese" while I chose to remain in denial about what they were doing to me.

It's scary to leave a place that's been so comfortable, safe, and stable for so long; but change has been forced upon me; so change I must; and change I will.

I don't know what flavor of "New Cheese" I'll end up finding out here in the maze, but I'm confident it's going to turn out to be some Goooood Stuff. What I do know for sure is that I'm no longer afraid, and I feel alive again after years of slow spiritual death under managed care.

I strongly encourage each of my patients to spend an hour reading this remarkable little book because it contains powerful lessons for all of us. Every reader will see parts of their own personality in how each of the characters behaves, and every one of us has something to learn from the story. You might want to order it right now from Amazon.com.