Spencer Johnson, M.D., is one of the most respected and beloved authors in the world. He has helped tens of millions of people discover how they can enjoy better lives by using simple truths that lead to fulfillment and success at work and at home. Inspiring and entertaining people with his insightful stories that speak directly to the heart and soul, he is often referred to as the best there is at taking complex subjects and presenting simple solutions that work.
Dr. Johnson is the author or co-author of numerous New York Times best-selling books, including #1 international bestsellers like The One Minute Manager and Who Moved My Cheese? Many years ago, Dr. Johnson was having a difficult time dealing with a major change in his life, so he made up the story of Who Moved My Cheese? to get him to laugh at himself. He wanted the book to encourage him to change, move on, and realize something better. The story is a simple parable that can be interpreted as you like, depending on where you feel you are—at work or in your life. His books are available around the world in 41 languages.
Dr. Johnson’s education includes a B.A. in psychology from the University of Southern California, an M.D. degree from the Royal College of Surgeons, and medical clerkships at Harvard Medical School and the Mayo Clinic. He was medical director of communications for Medtronic, research physician at The Institute for Inter-Disciplinary Studies, consultant to the Center for the Study of the Person, and Leadership Fellow at the Harvard Business School.
Dr. Johnson’s work has captured the attention of major media, like CNN, the Today Show, Time, the BBC, Business Week, The New York Times, Reader's Digest, The Wall Street Journal, Fortune, USA Today, and the Associated Press.
• Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That’s why it’s called The Present. Cherish it.
From Who Moved My Cheese?:
• The more important your cheese is to you, the more you want to hold on to it.
• Integrity is telling myself the truth. And honesty is telling the truth to other people.
• THE HANDWRITING ON THE WALL
Change Happens
Anticipate Change
Monitor Change
Adapt to Change
Enjoy Change
Be Ready to Quickly Change Again and Again
The best way to get started with Spencer Johnson is to read his books— The Present, The One Minute Manager, Who Moved My Cheese?—depending on your preference. Here are descriptions of all three:
• The Present is a story of a young man’s journey to adulthood and his search for The Present, a mysterious and elusive gift he first hears about from a great old man. This Present, according to the old man, is “the best present a person can receive.”
Later, when the young man, disillusioned with his work and his life, returns to ask the old man to help him once again find The Present, the old man responds, “Only you have the power to find The Present for yourself.” So the young man embarks on a tireless search for this magical gift that holds the secret to his personal happiness and business success.
It is only after the young man has searched high and low and given up his relentless pursuit that he relaxes and discovers The Present—and all the promises it offers.
The Present will help you focus on what will make you happy and successful in your work and in your personal life. You may find, like the young man, that The Present is the best gift you can give yourself.
• The One Minute Manager is the book that started it all. Written in 1982, the story became the first small-book business parable to become an international bestseller. It has gone on to become a popular personal self growth book as millions of individuals apply its three One-Minute Secrets to their lives as well as their work.
The first step is to use One-Minute Goals, goals written on a single sheet of paper that can be read and reread in one minute. One-Minute Praisings are used to catch people (including yourself) doing something right. These praisings build confidence. One-Minute Reprimands are used when people’s behavior does not help them achieve their goals. The person is reminded that they are better than the ineffective behavior.
In the parable, a young man discovers how to use the three secrets and why they work so well (based on studies in medicine and the behavioral sciences).
• Who Moved My Cheese? opens with a casual conversation between several former classmates that are meeting for lunch the day after their high school reunion. During the conversation, one of them offers to share a story called “Who Moved My Cheese?,” which is a parable that takes place in a maze. This is where the essence of the book begins.
There are four characters that live in the maze. Their main focus in life involves finding and eating cheese. Two characters are mice, Sniff and Scurry, who are non-analytical and nonjudgmental. They just want cheese and are willing to do whatever it takes to get it. The other two characters are Hem and Haw, who are actually “little people,” mouse-size humans who have an entirely different relationship with cheese. It is not just sustenance to them; it is their self-image. Their lives and belief systems are built around the cheese they find.
At the onset of the story, all four characters are in search of and then find their cheese. Change is suddenly introduced into the story. The cheese is moved, and the heart of the parable is how the four characters react to this change. Will the change be seen as a blessing or a curse? The message of the book is that change can be seen as a blessing if you understand the nature of cheese (i.e.—change) and the role it plays in our lives.
While reading Who Moved My Cheese?, we can see the story of the cheese as a symbol for something related to our jobs or our career paths. But it can stand for anything that involves change, from our health to our relationships. The point of the story is that we have to be alert to changes in our lives (i.e.—when cheese is moved), and we need to be prepared to deal with this change. The book is simple, the message is clear, and the lesson learned is quite valuable.
ADDRESS: Who Moved My Cheese? LLC
1775 West 2300 South Suite B
Salt Lake City, UT 84119,
PHONE: 800-851-9311 or 801-924-0260
WEBSITE: www.whomovedmycheese.com