Instructions weren't clear, I traded my house for a paper clip.

i wouldve stopped at that pen thats a really dope pen tbh

This is a great story. But it also pretty much just tells us what we already know: if you go viral, people will give you things.

A paperclip for a fish pen is an insanely god trade for whoever initially had the paperclip.

Doorknob trade is what made it all possible.

Who the feck looks at a paper clip and is like yeah that’s what I’ve always wanted here’s a pen

imagine if he kept going, “i traded a paper clip for 4 continent’s”

For anyone wondering, he turned the house into a café. It’s called “Paperclip Cottage”

The hardest trade had to be the first. Who the hell wants a paperclip?

*Then he traded the house for a shit ton of paperclips*

So many people are saying that it only happened because it got a lot of media attention, but he still traded a damn paperclip for a house.

Fun fact: you listened to one TedTalk and now you’re in a never ending loop..

Those girls who traded the fishpen in the first place are the Angel Investors of trade-business!

I went from a paper clip to a bag of chips. THATS GOOD VALUE

I actually tried this when I was like 9, but I just gave up because I have too much social anxiety to negotiate with strangers

I don't know how many TED talks I've watched but this is my favourite by far!

I started with a house and ended up with a red paperclip

CS:GO Trading from nothing to a knife.

I mean its canada, you could just ask someone for a house and they’d probably give it for free….

pov: this isn't him, he traded his identity for a space expedition ticket from elon musk

I started with a paperclip and ended with a Lamborghini. I used the paperclip as a key to hijack the Lambo's door open.

The people who traded you the fish pen were like: I’m about to start this mans whole career

Right when I saw the snow globe actor I recognized him as the dad in the tv show psych.

Every two years or so I come back and watch this video. Amazes me every time I watch it :)

Kyle: has a red paper clip Kyle: it’s free real estate

Imagine if this guy had two paper clips.

*"He's a man of focus, commitment, and sheer f**king will"*

This seriously, if true, is one of the best feel-good stories that I have heard. Could turn into a movie.

Bro, the girls who traded the fish pen could do the exact same thing

I'm depressed cause I have a Blue paperclip not a Red one.

I've watched some amazing and not so amazing UKposts videos today. I gotta say without a doubt THIS ONE is perhaps the best one I've seen all month long! Keep in mind, there's been some amazing stuff - but this one is The Best!

This has got to be my first TEDx Talk that I have seen on UKposts.

Next time: I trade a eraser for ownership of Morocco

Imagine doing that whole thing in reverse.

12:12 "Yes, let's build something, let's do something together, let's collaborate, let's see what happens". Great mindset! I think it happens more easily in some countries/cultures than in others.

This is the only Ted talk that I’ve ever looked up to watch

Starts with a Paperclips ends with a house STONKS 📈

1. Bend the paperclip. 2. Pick a lock. 3. Walk into the house saying "This is my house now" 4. You now own a house.

Things to quit right now: 1. Overthinking 2. Worrying 3. Trying to make everyone happy 4. Living in the past 5. Doubting yourself

This is definitely the best Ted show I've ever seen in my entire life you can learn so much about human nature innovation and other cool stuff that will make your journey in life so much better and so much stronger

Step 1: get a paper clip Step 2: trade the paper clip until you get a house Step 3:trade the house for a million paper clips Step 4: repeat step 2

WHY WOULD YOU GIVE UP THAT PEN

Saw this video a bunch of years ago, but it's so heartwarming!

I think this is my favorite Ted talk. Truthfully. I can’t remember any others right now but still

I started as a fetus and now I’m a disappointment

He should've kept trading, maybe could've gotten U.S. missle launch codes and presidency.

Amazing story. Goes to show that a little idea could develop into something much more.

This has to be the MOST ORIGINAL Ted talk I've ever seen!!!

how to be king of the world: 1. Find paperclip 2. Trade up till you get a house 3. Trade house for a ton of paperclips 4. Keep repeating till you eventually own every building in the world *STONKS*

I traded a red paperclip for a yellow paperclip

“I shall now trade some fresh dirt for the entire continent of Asia"

What an amazing story! Made me feel happy.

The fish pen was the coolest thing here and you know it.

It's got to help who you know and who will make the deal. Nicely done Congratulations

BEHIND DESIGNS BROUGHT ME HERE!

My first question is, who goes on craigslist for a paperclip?

Why would you give a fish-pen for A FUCKING RED PAPERCLIP ?????

❤this doesn't get old 😊 so awesome and inspiring

I’ve been doing the paperclip challenge at my school every year on April 10th. From when I was in 6th grade to now when I’m in 10th I’ve gotten some pretty great stuff that I still keep and cherish

Then he traded the house for “magic beans” from a salesman

moral of the story: a house in middle of nowhere is worth a paperclip.

amazing story, brilliant idea.

Please write a book about your experience!!!! Awsome!

The real winner was the guy that traded away a snowglobe.

Karen took everything, the house, the kids, and even the goddamn fish pen

Give a man a paperclip, you'll give him a house for a day Teach a man to paperclip, and you'll give him houses for a lifetime

PLOT TWIST : THE PAPERCLIP WAS THE NAME OF A MANSION.

I was just left wondering: what would had happened if the paperclip was blue intead of red?

So I have a paperclip. Does anybody have a house? Will also accept a fish pen

Just so you guys know, I live in a town about 30 minutes away from Kipling, and my Mom lives in Kipling so when ever my sister and I go there we walk past this house because my Mom knows Kyle

9:52 OMG,I just broke a glass,because I was shocked,that this was actor from psych. He played Henry Spencer there,it was so frickin good.

I wasted 10 minutes of my life watching this video when I could have been trading my worn down shoes for a cruise ship.

I gotta go look for a paper clip...

I love this! Moral: go for it! Execute on your ideas no matter how silly they may seem

This is amazing!

one time i went from a paperclip to a paperclip with paper clipped into it.

Dude, I would have kept the fish pen, I've never seen that before.

Incredible job🤯

Paper clip magic journey metamorphicly turned into a house. Thank you for the great story.

This is insane This is truly fucking amazing Like This guy got himself a house But holy shit he left a trail of happy people and improved lives in his wake This might be my favorite TED talk I've ever seen They're usually like "this is how I improved my life," "this is how I started my career," "here's how I helped out a friend," this guy though, he blazed a trail of happiness across a country.

I love how TED used a thumbnail of him without his hands up.

He worked so hard for it, I think that's just how economy works. You work and increase value of things and make people's lives better.

I took a course in personal realization called Millennium3 and was tasked with turning a kitchen match into something of greater value without telling anyone it was part of the course I was taking. Three hours and a dozen trades later I had a cable-ready color TV. I shocked myself. Now I know that anything is possible.

You could actually use the paperclip to do this fancy technique called "lockpicking" and therefore trade the paperclips for funny things, such as bicycles, money, or TVs.

"This is the worst trade deal possibly in the history of trade deals"

Thank you for sharing your story. Was wondering what category on CL you started your trading on thanks?

I love this story

fish pen>house

Awesome, but obviously the real trading value became his fame at some point.

This is awesome. Im going to see what I can do with a couple items in my closet

After watching this so many times, I finally noticed he has different coloured shoes lol

Did you do it Yes What did it cost *A PAPERCLIP*

"And what kind of payment are you using?" "uhhh paper clip"

best ted talk ever

this is probably the best ted talk ever made XD

I just bought a box of paper clips.

He traded a paperclip for a fish pen a fish pen for a weird doorknob a weird doorknob for a camping stove a camping stove for a generator a generator for a IOU and a Budweiser sign a IOU and a Budweiser sign for a snowmobile a snowmobile for a trip to the Rockies a trip to the Rockies for a truck a truck for a recording contract a recording contract for free rent for a year free rent for a year for a day with Alice Cooper a day with Alice Cooper for a KISS snow-globe a KISS snow-globe for a role in a movie and a role in a movie for a house. This totally did not take me forever.

Wow. I have a bunch of paper clips rn and have nothing to do with them. thanks for motivation!

*30 years later* Him:So I traded a paperclip for you Me:wait what? Him: yes George I OWN YOU

I never would've traded my fish pen. /The End.