Identify Experience

I made the list of the things which I can trade for the paper clip provided in the class work shop.
The first trade was hardest as I have to use the innovation and creativity to come up with the idea
to trade the paper clip. I put the paper clip on different websites for trade but got no response
from any of the websites. After not getting a single offer for three days, I went out in the
university cafeteria. Where I asked several people to trade the clip for something of same or
higher value. So my first trade was done in cafeteria, which also boosted my confidence and
motivation.

I first decided to post the advertisement on different websites including barter quest, trade away,
swapiness and free cycle. I posted it as it was the easiest way for me to trade and limited
interaction to trade a thing which has very limited use. After not receiving any offer I decided to
go by myself in the situation and trade the paper clip for something more useful. Rejecting
several people highly decreased my motivation.

But I decided not to quit and give this a try in the university. This was the point I decided to
change my course of action. Next day in the university cafeteria I gathered the courage to talk
university fellows for the trade. After hitting 20 to 30 number of people, a fellow offered me the
used bag of its tech accessories bag for a paper clip which she needed at the time to manage its
papers. It was a bit of luck for me to hit the girl and as I asked her, she said yes to trade it for a
bag which she has no use for.

But for me, it is a highly motivating factor as I take the step towards my goal. This trading
experience was highly motivating for me, and it increased my determination to go further in the
game. From that bag, I moved further and traded it with my friend for a bigger bag as he needed
that tech accessory bag which is smaller in size, and he gave me his laptop bag. After getting the
laptop bag, I know I have something of much higher value than a paper clip which motivated me
to go further in the game.

I posted that bag to the website for trade and got numerous offers. Mostly of them are of lower
value, but I find one thing attractive against the bag and it was a wireless headphone which was a
bit rough in condition — but working properly. After that, I again tried to trade the headphones
and after trying a number of times successfully traded it for a power bank which was packed and
have a value of 15 dollars.

2. Relevance of Experience

The experience is relevant to the module delivered in class as it has several things which are
directly related. The trading activity has forced me to innovate ideas to trade paper clip and
become creative to trade it. Once I did not receive any response from different websites, it
pushed me further to think about the new ideas to trade. From which I have decided to directly
approach the people in the university to trade.

In the module, I have learned to think creatively and used it to trade something of higher value. I
succeeded to trade the clip because I did not lose hope in my assignment and tried again and
again to sell the clip. It also makes me realized that everything has value. Although the paper clip
is of very limited use and value, it still has value. The clip helps manage the papers, and people
get ease from the existence of a paper clip. It also makes me realize that putting the effort into
something will increase the chances of success. It is linked to my understanding and experience
which I have gained in the class. It forced me to think of new ways to trade the clip.

The success in trading the clip for a bag has also made me realize that even the tiniest things
have value. It pushed me further to trade it for a bigger bag and then traded it for headphones and
then for a power bank which has a value of $15 in the market. It also improved my concept of
trade and showed me that people would trade things which they are willing to give up for
something better of use.

I learned a lot from the experience of trade as it boosted my confidence and improved my social
skills to interact, which I find hard before the activity. It strengthens my belief that thinking
creatively will inspire ideas to generate and help me achieve better in life.

I find it interesting when our instructor assigned us the task to trade paper clip. It was interesting
and at the same time challenging. Because trading an item for the item of another same value are
not hard. But trading the item for the other item which has high value is quite difficult. Before
money, the world runs on the model or barter system where people trade things to fulfil their
needs and desires. It is hard to find the appropriate idea to trade it for higher value for which I
have taken the idea from Google in which the first story which I hit to was of a man who traded
the clip for a house. His story gave me the motivation to trade that clip for something of higher
value.

3. Learning for Personal and Professional Life

From this creative task, I have learned that through creativity, people can find ways to do things
in many ways. I also learned that through determination, results could be better and reaching to
several people boosted my confidence. It also helped me understand the trading system better,
which was for me only existed about money. It gives insight into the barter system which existed
before money. It also makes me realize to understand the value of things which I have never
considered valuable. I also experienced that these things can be converted to other valuable
things which are a good life lesson. I will take things differently as when the task was assigned. I
was clue less about how to do it. But after using different ways, I was able to do the activity
confidently. From this activity, I got to know the importance of creativity, innovation and
determination to do a task. If I lose hope, in the beginning, I would not be able to convert paper
clip into a 15 dollar power bank.

But after all this experience I need to learn a lot of things further in terms of trade creativity and
innovation. I need to learn how these trade skills can help me negotiate better, how my creativity
can help me grow further and expand my career. I also need to learn further how innovation can
solve a number of problems faced by the people in this world. I also need to explore how people
can help me in different ways. It also makes me realized that people are generous and help
others. Before this task, I was extremely rigid towards people. This experience changed my
perception of people.

I think differently about innovation and creativity as before I have never used it intentionally for
doing anything. And getting anything done but after this activity, I practically used it with
information. It changed my perception about innovation and creativity. I learned and improved
my communication skills. It has also built my confidence to use creativity to solve different
problems. It also improved my social skills.

More importantly, it has made me some important friends who have helped me in this task. I
learned how to keep myself motivated about the task which has assigned to me. It will help me in
my personal and professional life in future.
Now I like to do things differently and has the confidence to thinks of new ways which are not
popular. I have learned that through determination, we can think of new ways. Creativity can
help us to think differently and innovate new ideas which can help us to do things with high
motivation. This activity has taught me a lot about myself and trade. I enjoyed the activity a lot,
and it has improved me in so many ways. I have learned about myself that I have to explore
myself further. For that, I will commit myself to learn through my educational career. And after
completing my studies, I will confine myself to live long learning to improve myself and grow
myself in personal and professional life.