While doing some purging, my sister found my childhood copy of Mother Goose in 5 Languages. It was a progressive concept back in the 1960s to have 45 rpm records with recitations of nursery rhymes in French, Spanish, Latin, German and English – probably the only place I heard a language other than English at that point in my life.
This book was trying to make the skills of language appreciation and cultural awareness easily accessible (and even fun) for children.
How can you adopt a similar approach and make things that are good for others become appealing? Having fruit cut up and on the counter instead of a tray of cookies. Making a company’s retirement savings plan opt-out instead of opt-in. Creating a neighborhood walking group that leaves from the bus stop every morning after dropping off the kids – when you’re up and out already.
In most cases, easy trumps good – you’ll do what is easy before you’ll do what is good for you. Take a lesson from Mother Goose and try to merge the two.
