<P> Who Moved My Cheese? An Amazing Way to Deal with Change in Your Work and in Your Life, published on September 8, 1998, is a motivational business fable . The text describes change in one's work and life, and four typical reactions to those changes by two mice and two "little people," during their hunt for cheese . A New York Times business bestseller upon release, Who Moved My Cheese? remained on the list for almost five years and spent over 200 weeks on Publishers Weekly's hardcover nonfiction list . It has sold more than 26 million copies worldwide in 37 languages and remains one of the best - selling business books . </P> <P> Allegorically, Who Moved My Cheese? features four characters: two mice, "Sniff" and "Scurry," and two little people, human metaphor, "Hem" and "Haw ." (The names of the little people are taken from the phrase "hem and haw," a term for indecisiveness .) They live in a maze, a representation of one's environment, and look for cheese, representative of happiness and success . Initially without cheese, each group, the mice and humans, paired off and traveled the lengthy corridors searching for cheese . One day both groups happen upon a cheese - filled corridor at "Cheese Station C ." Content with their find, the humans establish routines around their daily intake of cheese, slowly becoming arrogant in the process . </P> <P> One day Sniff and Scurry arrive at Cheese Station C to find no cheese left, but they are not surprised . Noticing the cheese supply dwindling, they have mentally prepared beforehand for the arduous but inevitable task of finding more cheese . Leaving Cheese Station C behind, they begin their hunt for new cheese together . Later that day, Hem and Haw arrive at Cheese Station C only to find the same thing, no cheese . Angered and annoyed, Hem demands, "Who moved my cheese?" The humans have counted on the cheese supply to be constant, and so are unprepared for this eventuality . After deciding that the cheese is indeed gone they get angry at the unfairness of the situation Haw suggests a search for new cheese, but Hem is dead set in his victimized mindset and dismisses the proposal . </P> <P> Meanwhile, Sniff and Scurry have found "Cheese Station N," and new cheese . But back at Cheese Station C, Hem and Haw are affected by their lack of cheese and blame each other for their problem . Hoping to change, Haw again proposes a search for new cheese . However, Hem is comforted by his old routine and is frightened about the unknown . He knocks the idea again . After a while of being in denial, the humans remain without cheese . One day, having discovered his debilitating fears, Haw begins to chuckle at the situation and stops taking himself so seriously . Realizing he should simply move on, Haw enters the maze, but not before chiseling "If You Do Not Change, You Can Become Extinct" on the wall of Cheese Station C for his friend to ponder . </P>

Who moved my cheese the handwriting on the wall