Comfort Is Holding You Back

In today’s email (1,342 Words | 5 Min 30 Sec read):

Today’s Read

The Cheese and the Maze of Business

Change is everywhere, especially in business. As entrepreneurs, we’re constantly navigating a maze—chasing success, adapting to shifts, and sometimes hitting dead ends.

In Who Moved My Cheese? by Dr. Spencer Johnson, cheese symbolizes what you’re after:

success, security, profits. But here’s the catch—just like in real life, the cheese doesn’t stay in one spot forever. You either move with the change or get left behind.

Sounds simple, right? But Johnson’s parable brings to life the struggle we all face when our “cheese” disappears, and it’s a metaphor you’ll find strikingly relevant to running a business. Get the book here.

Meet the Players: Which Entrepreneur Are You?

The story revolves around four characters, each representing different reactions to change. Here’s a quick intro:

• Sniff & Scurry (The Mice): These guys keep it simple. When the cheese runs out, they go looking for more without wasting time. They represent the entrepreneur who pivots quickly, sensing the market shifts early and taking action.

• Hem & Haw (The Little People): Hem resists change, digging in his heels and refusing to adapt. Haw, though initially fearful, learns to embrace change. These two represent how most entrepreneurs feel—stuck between resisting change and cautiously embracing it.

These characters aren’t just quirky symbols; they mirror the internal struggles you face in business when the landscape shifts beneath your feet.

Are you a Hem, stubbornly holding onto old strategies? Or are you more of a Sniff, already moving toward the next opportunity?

Lesson One: Change Is Inevitable (So, Expect It)

Here’s a hard truth: change is going to happen whether you’re ready or not. In the story, the characters’ cheese doesn’t stay in one place. Sniff and Scurry, the mice, know this and are always prepared. But Hem? He refuses to accept it.

As an entrepreneur, this should resonate. The marketplace is constantly changing. Customer preferences evolve. Competitors pop up out of nowhere. Johnson’s key takeaway is simple: expect change.

Anticipate shifts in your industry. Keep an eye on emerging trends, and don’t get too comfortable with what’s working today. Whether it's AI disrupting your sector or customers migrating to a new platform, those who expect change are the ones who thrive.

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The Power of Your Response: Move or Stay Stuck

When the cheese runs out, what do you do? This is where Hem and Haw’s responses provide a powerful lesson.

Hem's Approach: Stuck in the Past

Hem refuses to adapt, hoping the cheese will come back. In the entrepreneurial world, Hem represents anyone who holds onto outdated business strategies. Maybe you’re clinging to an old product line or refusing to update your processes because “it’s always worked.” Spoiler: it’s not going to work forever.

Haw’s Journey: Overcoming Fear

Haw, on the other hand, is a slow starter. He’s afraid of the unknown, just like many of us. But as the story progresses, he learns that staying still is worse than risking the unknown. This is critical for entrepreneurs: the fear of change can paralyze you, but moving forward is the only way to find new opportunities.

Facing Fear: What’s Holding You Back?

A massive theme in Who Moved My Cheese? is fear—the fear of change, failure, and the unknown. Entrepreneurs face this fear all the time. Whether it’s launching a new product, entering a new market, or changing your business model, fear is there.

In the book, Haw asks an important question: “What would you do if you weren’t afraid?” This question isn’t just philosophical—it’s practical.

Next time you’re hesitating to make a business decision, ask yourself this.

What would you do if fear weren’t in the equation? Chances are, it’s exactly the move you need to make.

The Visualization Technique: Picture Your Success

One of the key practices Haw uses to overcome his fear is visualization. He imagines himself enjoying new cheese, and that image helps him push forward.

Visualization isn’t just a feel-good exercise. Entrepreneurs use it to maintain focus and motivation. It’s about seeing the end result before you achieve it, whether that’s landing a big client, hitting a revenue target, or growing your business into new markets.

Spend a few minutes each day imagining what success looks like. Picture your business thriving, the new products selling out, or your customer base expanding.

This mental rehearsal makes the journey feel more attainable and motivates you to keep moving, even through rough patches.

Lesson Two: Let Go of the Old Cheese

Hem’s biggest mistake? He’s unable to let go of the old cheese. He keeps waiting for it to reappear, but it never does. In entrepreneurship, this is the equivalent of clinging to an outdated business model, a product line that no longer sells, or marketing strategies that no longer resonate.

Johnson makes it clear: you can’t move forward if you’re still stuck in the past.

Don’t be afraid to cut ties with what’s no longer working. Whether it’s letting go of a service, automating an old process, or even changing up your team structure, the quicker you drop what’s not effective, the sooner you’ll find new opportunities.

Lesson Three: Adapt to Change Quickly (The Faster You Let Go, the Sooner You’ll Find New Cheese)

Here’s the turning point in the book: the faster you let go of the old cheese, the sooner you can find new opportunities. When Haw finally decides to leave the old cheese behind and embrace the search for new cheese, he begins to thrive.

Don’t get stuck clinging to old ideas, products, or methods that no longer serve you. If a strategy isn’t working, don’t waste time hoping it will somehow become successful again. Be quick to drop it and move on to something new.

Think of entrepreneurs who failed to adapt to digital transformation. Companies that held on too long to traditional brick-and-mortar models without exploring e-commerce are perfect examples of Hems. On the flip side, businesses that embraced change and moved online quickly thrived.

Lesson Four: Enjoy Change (Savor the Adventure)

The final lesson Haw learns is that change can actually be exciting. Once you start moving forward and embrace new opportunities, you begin to enjoy the process. In the maze, Haw starts to see that the search for new cheese is an adventure, not a burden.

Embracing change opens up new opportunities. Instead of dreading the next pivot or the next challenge, learn to love the journey.

Whether you’re experimenting with new ideas, exploring new markets, or developing new products, this adaptability is what makes entrepreneurship so exciting.

Foster a mindset of curiosity and excitement when faced with business changes. This mindset shift will help you embrace innovation rather than fear it.

Instead of worrying about the competition, enjoy the process of building something new.

Putting It All Together

At the end of the day, Who Moved My Cheese? gives you a simple yet profound roadmap for navigating the inevitable changes in business. Whether it’s changing customer trends, new technology, or shifts in the economy, those who adapt quickly are the ones who find the new cheese first.

So, let me leave you with this:

• Are you like Hem, waiting for things to go back to “normal”?

• Or are you ready to embrace the change, move with the cheese, and find new opportunities like Sniff and Scurry?

The sooner you accept that the cheese will always move, the sooner you’ll be able to thrive in your entrepreneurial journey.

Happy reading and remember to TAKE ACTION! There’s more to learn in the next one! Same day, same time! See ya.

My Favorite Quotes

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