From a Paperclip to a Dream
- Brian Reaves
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
In 2005, Kyle MacDonald saw a red paperclip on his desk and came up with a brilliant plan. His goal was simple: He wanted to own a home but had no money—yet he did have a red paperclip. He posted on Craigslist about his desire to trade something for it and eventually work his way up to a house.
Through a determined series of 14 trades over the course of one year (and greatly helped by later news and publicity of his quest), Kyle was able to successfully transform the paperclip into a new home:
Paper clip for Fish-shaped pen.
Fish-shaped pen for a hand-sculpted doorknob.
Doorknob for a Coleman camp stove (with fuel).
Camp stove for a Honda generator.
Generator for an “instant party”: an empty keg, a beer-filling IOU, and a neon Budweiser sign.
“Instant party” for a snowmobile.
Snowmobile for a two-person trip to British Columbia.
Trip for a cube van.
Cube van for a recording contract with Metalworks.
Recording contract for a year’s rent in Phoenix, Arizona.
A year’s rent for one afternoon with Alice Cooper.
Alice Cooper afternoon for a KISS motorized snow globe.
KISS motorized snow globe to Corbin Bernsen (a large collector of snow globes) for a role in the film Donna on Demand.
Movie role for a two-story farmhouse in Kipling, Saskatchewan.
Kyle wrote a book about his experience and even earned a place in the Guiness Book of World Records for “Most Successful Internet Trade.”
Be honest for a moment: if you had known Kyle when he first told you his plans, would you have cheered him on and believed in him, or would you have just laughed at him and his dream? Most of us would have doubted his success because it seemed impossible.
Have you ever had a dream for your life that was so outrageous you were afraid to share it with anyone? Do you currently have a dream for your life that seemed possible when you first considered it but has gradually drifted further and further into the "impossible" category?
Here are three quick ways to "trade up" in your life:
1) Have a clear starting point. Kyle's plan was set in motion the minute he put that ad on Craigslist. That was the moment he could point to and say, "My dream started there." If you have something you want to accomplish, don't stumble into starting on the journey. Make a clear step forward of faith in yourself and your dream and say, "I don't know when it'll end, but this is the moment it begins."
2) Have a clear goal. What are you striving for? Don't just say, "A better life." What exactly do you want that will make your life better? A new house? A business of your own? To be out of debt? What is your clear goal?
Just saying, "I want to be successful" is positive but aimless and impossible to track. Let's be honest: Today, you broke your previous record for the most consecutive days lived. Congratulations! To me, that's successful! But what does it mean to you? What are you really shooting for?
3) Have the tenacity and determination to make the journey. It may not happen in a day, a week, or even a year. A bigger goal could take a longer time to reach. Are you willing to hang in there until it happens, even if it takes a while? There could be weeks where it seems like you're making no progress and it would be easy to quit. What will you do? If you determine early to keep on going until you reach the goal no matter what, it'll make it easier to stick with it when the hard times come. Don't make life-changing decisions in the heat of a bad moment.
While you might never find a way to trade a paperclip into a house, you can still see incredible changes happen in your own life if you hang in there with a clear plan.
Determine to trade up in life!
P.S. If you liked this post, you'll love my new book, Fearless: Life Beyond Your Comfort Zone!