Nothing Is Wasted: The Power of Story in Career Journeys
Following the Threads of Our Stories
This past week, I spent a morning volunteering as a career coach at a local high school. I spoke with grade 9 and 10 students about my winding path to becoming an author and writing coach.
To prepare, I made a list of almost every job I’ve ever had—everything from corn detasseling as a teen to service coordinator, store assistant manager, college instructor, and many more. I also thought about the eight post-secondary schools I’ve attended (yes, eight!) and all the workshops and trainings along the way.
Looking at that list, I realized how much story lives inside it. Not just my story, but the stories of people I met, places I worked, things I learned. Every experience, even the ones that didn’t make sense at the time, had a narrative thread that quietly led me here.
Stories as Teachers
When I stood in front of those students, I didn’t just list off my resume. I told them stories. I shared the lessons I’ve learned again and again:
Pay attention to the stories around you. Networking isn’t just about business cards — it’s about human connections.
Don’t let your job make you miserable. Every chapter doesn’t have to be forever.
If you’re an artist, it’s okay to have a day job. That, too, can hold stories that shape your art.
Community matters. And if you can’t find the right one, you can build it. (That’s how Open Sky Stories began.)
Nothing is ever wasted. Even the messy or unexpected chapters have something to teach you.
Every course, every job, every risk I took added a page to the larger story I’m still writing.
Community: Where Stories Meet
Before that speaking event, I started my morning at 7 a.m. with my regular writing group—a circle of writers from across North America and London, England. For an hour, we each stepped into our own stories, but side by side.
Community, to me, is where stories braid together. It’s where we’re reminded that we’re not alone in our creative work, or our uncertainty, or our hope. So much of what has shaped my career didn’t come from a job description—it came from the people I met along the way.
Old Ideas, Still Part of the Story
Later this week, as I unpacked boxes in my newly repaired basement (after months of flood damage), I unearthed bits and pieces of past Open Sky Stories experiments:
A fortune cookie project (yes, the real cookies are about four years old now!)
A letter writing + tea subscription service (the stationery is still beautiful)
Early notebook designs
Felted kintsugi hearts
None of these “took off” the way I once imagined. But each one carries a story. They were moments of creativity, curiosity, and courage. They taught me something. They shaped the next chapter.
The Stories We Carry Forward
If I trace back every job, every creative experiment, every seemingly unrelated decision, what I find isn’t wasted time. It’s a series of stories—some quiet, some loud—that built the path I’m walking now.
Stories show up everywhere if we pay attention. In our work. In the people we meet. In old projects tucked into basement boxes. In communities that hold us. In the unexpected turns that lead us somewhere new.
And just as importantly: we each carry our own stories. They’re worth noticing. Worth following.
A Message to Students — and to Ourselves
The message I shared with those students is one I return to often myself:
Your path doesn’t need to be straight. You don’t have to have it all figured out. Pay attention to the stories in your life—your own and those of others. Follow them. Learn from them.
Because in the end, nothing is ever wasted.
-Erica Richmond
Invite Me to Speak
I love sharing stories like these—with students, schools, community groups, and anyone who needs a reminder that their story matters.
If you’re looking for a guest speaker who can talk about storytelling, creativity, writing, and embracing nonlinear paths, I’d love to connect.
Reach out to me here to learn more about booking me for a speaking event.
