Only 20 years Old

Debbi was only 19 years old when she reached a crossroad in her life. She was married to a well-known Economist and Futurist, and had quit work to play the role of a conventional wife. She hadn’t expected her decision to deal such a hard blow to her self-esteem. No one seemed to think she had anything to offer – including herself.

One night, at a party, things reached a head. People were falling all over themselves to talk to her husband – they were treating her like she was an absolute zero, walking away from her in most conversations. Until the party host approached her… She tried to talk to him, answering his barrage of questions. She tried to appear sophisticated, urbane and clever – failing miserably at her attempt to be something she wasn’t.

Her host finally asked, “What do you intend to do with your life?
Debbi was a nervous wreck at this point. She blurted out, “Well, I’m mostly trying to get orientated.”

Her host looked at her with disgust. “The word is oriented,” he snapped. “There is no such word as orientated. Why don’t you learn to use the English language?” He spat out his words and walked away.

Well, you can imagine. . . Debbi was crushed. She cried all the way home. But somewhere, in the middle of all the tears, she made a decision. She would never, never, NEVER let something like that happen again. She was done living in someone else’s shadow. She would find something of her own.

As she pondered what she was going to do she thought back to the old boat motor that had accumulated dust in her family’s basement when she was growing up – her parents and 5 girls in a 2-bedroom, 1 bathroom home. Her father was going to buy a boat for that motor someday. He never did, and to Debbi that motor became a symbol of putting off dreams until it’s too late to achieve them.

Debbi had watched her father die with his dreams unfulfilled. She didn’t want the same thing to happen to her. She would do something.
But what?!

The only thing Debbi was really good at was making cookies. She had been baking and experimenting with recipes since was 13. She’d add more butter; use less flour; or try different kinds of chocolate. She’d finally hit on a recipe that she believed was ideal. Her cookies were soft, buttery and crammed with chocolate chips.

She realized she had to use her gifts so. . . Debbi decided to open a cookie store. Every single person in her life told her it wouldn’t work. No one believed in her.

It didn’t matter. On August 18, 1977, when Debbi was 20, she opened her first store. No one came. By noon she was desperate. She stared at the empty store and decided if she was going to go out of business, she would at least do it in style.
Debbi loaded up a tray of cookies and went out in to her shopping arcade, trying to give away cookies. No one would take them. She figured she had nothing to lose at this point, so she headed out to the street. She begged, pleaded and wheedled until people finally took her samples. She smiled as their faces lit up.

She went back to the store and sold cookies to the people who had followed her wanting more. By the end of the day she had sold $50 worth. The next day she sold $75 worth.

The rest is Cookie History. . .

Debbi Fields is now the owner of over 600 stores – with sales in the multi-millions. She is also the mother of 5. She did indeed find something of her own!
You will face obstacles. You will face people who don’t believe in your dreams. So what? It’s YOUR life. It will become what YOU decide to make it.
Debbi Fields shared this in a speech she gave: “Whatever you do in your life, you have to be absolutely passionate about it.”

Debbi was passionate about cookies. Passionate about excellence. Passionate about living with no regrets.

Take some time to think about what you are passionate about. Make a list. It might be long. It might be short. What are you MOST passionate about? What will create the greatest joy and success in your life if you decide to do it? What will you most regret if you don’t do it?

Right now – TODAY – you have gifts that can make a difference in how you live your life. How will you use them? What will you do? It’s up to you, you know. You are just like Debbi...if she can make it, so can you!