The Present by Spencer Johnson

I'm on a roll this week, with books by Spencer Johnson. Books that offer perspective and wisdom to be applied to daily life. What I really love about books from Spencer Johnson, like Who Moved My Cheese and this current book I have just finished reading, is the simplicity in its story telling. Always a breeze to read through, yet at the same time, it does need moments of reflection with the messages delivered throughout the book. 

Similar to Who Moved My Cheese's  handwriting on the wall, The Present has its summary of notes as a reminder to readers of the important steps in achieving success and happiness in life. They are:

BE IN THE PRESENT

When you want to be happy and successful

Focus On What Is Right Now.

Use Your Purpose to Respond

To What Is Important Now.

LEARN FROM THE PAST

When you want to make the present better than the past

Look At What Happened In The Past.

Learn Something Valuable From It. 

Do Things Differently In The Present.

PLAN FOR THE FUTURE

When you want to make the future better than the present

See What A Wonderful Future Would Look Like.

Make Plans To Help It Happen.

Put Your Plan Into Action In The Present. 

And my favourite question from the book, that would help you put things in perspective before appreciating the present:

We take this for granted, because most of the time, we compare ourselves too often with others, and placing others' definition of success to ourselves, without really questioning, if that is what we really want in order to be happy? Or that we are merely succumbing to our peers' expectations in appearing successful, while not knowing where we are heading to. 

This book has helped me realise to take things one step at a time. Common sense that is, there are too many times, where I feel overwhelmed with cluttered thoughts without really concentrating of the present moment. It makes sense and is practical to organise our thoughts and actions first, in this case, mentally organising our thoughts to the present situation and respond to our current needs appropriately. This does help to let go of the past, and move on to appreciating what we have now, before making clearer plans for tomorrow. 

I am going to take this challenge and experiment with these three essential rules of The Present. It all starts today with The Present that I have chosen to give myself today. And presently, I am aware that I can choose to define the outcome of who I will be and how I would feel. I choose to be happy. I choose to realise the present and appreciate it each day. :) 

Who Moved My Cheese by Spencer Johnson

I have read this book about three to four times now, and I'm still reminding  myself of the message of being brave towards changes and the courage to move forward.

What this book does, is giving you an interesting perspective towards change, through the story of 4 characters with the names of Hem, Haw, Sniff and Scurry. The characters' personalities reflect the very names they owned, thus, helping you think and question, which one of those you belong to.

Throughout the journey of these characters and their different reactions on cheese, from the contentment, denial, stubbornness, repentance, and forward looking behaviours, it gives out lessons/reflections through the famous "Handwriting on The Wall" :

Change Happens

They moving the cheese

Anticipate Change

Get ready for the cheese to move

Monitor Change

Smell the Cheese Often So You Know When It Is Getting Old

Adapt to Change Quickly

The quicker you let go of the old cheese, the sooner you can enjoy new cheese

Change

Move with the cheese

Enjoy Change!

Savour the adventure and enjoy the taste of new cheese

Be Ready To Move Quickly & Enjoy It Again & Again

They keep moving the cheese

Simply, if we don't move forward with change, or in the book's way of referring it as finding new cheese, we will get stagnant and frustrated with ourselves like how Hem is with his situation. Thus, Haw took the courage to find that new cheese despite the fear of getting lost in the big maze, and eventually found new cheese. While Sniff and Scurry, as reflected from the names, were opposite of Hem and Haw - always on their feet to find new cheese, knowing the current cheese won't be there forever.

So thus, similar to real life, cheese represents our jobs, relationships with others at work and at home, or just about anything that has led us to lead such comfortable life without realising we can lose what we have if we are not careful.

What I love about this book is this very question:

What this books helps me see and understand simply is that in life, its my very own fears that holds me back from even taking that step forward towards change. I can tell myself a million times that it's time for a change of direction in my life, but there are always a million more excuses of not making it into reality because of a single fear of the worse that could happen should it happen.

So what would I do if I was not afraid? If I was not afraid, I would have been more realistic, objectively assess the situation and come up with solutions to challenges that were to come along with my decision towards change, instead of becoming obsessively worried on what's not yet to happen.

Preparing solutions and preparing for them to come my way will help minimise surprises in life. I would be more like Sniff and Scurry, always on their feet, going through the maze and kept moving forward.

It's the disease of complacency I think that also holds one back from wanting to move forward with changes. I suppose when it one gets too comfortable living in one's own goldfish bowl, it greatly creates this sense of grandeur sense of entitlement of life's privileges. It's easy to forget and take things for granted.

I am grateful we have to keep up with changes because without change, I really can't imagine a society never having the need to progress and move forward to be better. Dealing with change is best when you don't worry too much or over analyse every single details. My own advice with dealing with change is:

- don't think too much, in the words of Nike, "just do it!"

- prepare, prepare, prepare; you can NEVER GO WRONG with preparing yourself into change.

So there, this book is a great reminder for me to be okay with change and be brave when I make the decision to change. Even when the fear creeps in again and hold me back, I must remember, I will risk in ending up becoming Hem. I don't want that happen to  me.

It's easy to read, you can finish reading in an hour or less. It's something I am sure, you will go back reading to and be reminded not to fall in the trap of being Hem, and always remember to ask yourself, "What would you do if YOU weren't afraid?"