Woody Guthrie’s New Year’s Resolutions

I’m often lazy with resolutions. Some years I give myself until the end of January to sort out exceptional goals for the new year. In studying what reseachers say works best, I stumbled across this list.

Apparently Woody Guthrie, one of my heroes, had a different problem. He didn’t seem to do too well with setting clear priorities. He lists 33 things for the year of 1942. Inspiring given the results, nevertheless.

 

Guthrie’s new years resolutions (from the official site), 1942:

  1. Work more and better
  2. Work by a schedule
  3. Wash teeth if any
  4. Shave
  5. Take bath
  6. Eat good – fruit – vegetables – milk
  7. Drink very scant if any
  8. Write a song a day
  9. Wear clean clothes – look good
  10. Shine shoes
  11. Change socks
  12. Change bed clothes often
  13. Read lots good books
  14. Listen to radio a lot
  15. Learn people better
  16. Keep rancho clean
  17. Don’t get lonesome
  18. Stay glad
  19. Keep hoping machine running
  20. Dream good
  21. Bank all extra money
  22. Save Dough
  23. Have company but don’t waste time
  24. Send Mary and kids money
  25. Play and sing good
  26. Dance Better
  27. Hep win war – beat fascism
  28. Love Mama
  29. Love Papa
  30. Love Pete
  31. Love Everybody
  32. Make up your mind
  33. Wake up and Fight

Also see: New years resolutions that work

12 Responses to “Woody Guthrie’s New Year’s Resolutions”

  1. Dwayne Phillips

    Precious. Another wonderful example of what a journal or notebook can do for people – including yourself – even decades later.

    Reply
  2. Andreas Scherer

    Item 27: I certainly shall not bear fascism! I’d rather help win the war.

    Reply
  3. Oscar

    Wow, that’s a simple list. Very cool that you posted this. I like #3. Wash teeth… if any.

    #31 is good too and #33.

    #8 would be good for us bloggers… write a blogpost a day.

    Reply
  4. Joel D Canfield

    #33 is the hardest, I think.

    As a self-declared epileptic rhino on the dance floor, I understand #26, but just don’t think a year is enough time.

    Reply
  5. melissa bernardi

    Just the most beautiful thing. It has been an entertaining day reading what my friends chose as theirs.

    Reply
  6. Michal

    Soooo… What resolution(s) did *you* settle on?

    Reply
  7. Simon

    Interesting resolution not to get “lonesome”.

    I like the fact that Guthrie saw the importance of routine in his work that he felt the need to write a song each day, rather than wait for inspiration.

    Interesting to see that “Wake up and Fight” is his last resolution, rather than his first.

    Reply
  8. Deborah Samilton

    MR.GUTHRIE KNEW WHO HE WAS. KNOWING IS UNDERSTANDING THE VALUE OF WHO I AM OR WHO YOU ARE: YOUR COGNITIVE ABILITY TO RELATE TO EMOTIONS,AND TRY TO CREATE A PEACEFUL ENVIRONMENT: TO LIVE AND LET LIVE; TO KNOW YOURSELF….WOW #33:)

    Reply

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