In a world that moves fast, creatives often feel like they’re chasing something — clients, visibility, money, recognition. But what if the real power in creative success is in doing the small, consistent things that most people overlook?
That’s what I thought about when I saw this painting of a young girl in the forest, feeding ten snow-white rabbits. It’s a simple moment, yet it contains the entire blueprint for how we grow as creative entrepreneurs.
The Scene
A little girl — let’s call her Lume — is in a quiet woodland clearing. She’s wearing a burnt-orange dress with a cream collar, holding a wicker basket in one hand, a handful of green leaves in the other.
In front of her, ten white rabbits watch. They’re cautious, ready to run if she makes the wrong move. They don’t know her yet.
The rabbits are not hers. She doesn’t own them. They didn’t pay her to show up. Still, she comes back each day with her basket.
The Creative Hustler’s Rabbits
If you’re a creative — a designer, writer, artist, marketer — those rabbits are your audience, your potential clients, your community. At first, they don’t trust you. Why should they? Everyone is fighting for their attention, promising things they can’t deliver.
The first time you post your work online, send out an email, or share an idea, most people will just glance and move on. They might be curious, but curiosity isn’t commitment.
Your job in the beginning is not to force them to “buy now.” Your job is to keep showing up with the leaves in your basket — the content, the stories, the portfolio pieces, the behind-the-scenes work that slowly builds trust.
Why the Girl Didn’t Chase Them
The fastest way to lose a rabbit? Run toward it.
It’s the same in business. If you start every conversation with “hire me” or “buy my work,” you’ll scare them off. People can smell desperation.
Instead, like Lume, you feed them from where they are comfortable. Maybe that’s giving them a free resource. Maybe it’s sharing your creative process. Maybe it’s simply engaging with their work without asking for anything back.
You’re planting seeds, not hunting.
Kindness as a Strategy, Not a Slogan
When Lume feeds the rabbits, she’s not just being “nice.” She’s building familiarity. The rabbits start to think: She’s safe. She’s consistent. She brings value every time she shows up.
In the creative hustle, kindness is a strategy. It makes you memorable. It gets people talking about you when you’re not in the room. It builds a network that opens doors without you forcing them open.
And here’s the part most people miss: when you operate this way long enough, the forest changes. In Lume’s case, plants grew where there had been none, bees returned, life multiplied. In your case, opportunities will grow in places you didn’t even know existed.
The Shift from Feeding to Earning
One day, a rabbit might hop right up to Lume and stay by her side. Not because she trapped it, but because trust turned into relationship.
In creative work, this is when someone you’ve been nurturing suddenly says, “I’ve been following you for months — I want to hire you.” It feels “out of nowhere” to them, but you know it’s the result of dozens of tiny touches they barely noticed at the time.
It’s not magic. It’s the compound effect of consistent value.
The Invisible Portfolio
The thing about rabbits — and audiences — is that they often watch from a distance before they ever engage. People you don’t even know exist might be checking your work, seeing your posts, and deciding if they can trust you.
That’s why every piece of content you create, every design you post, every article you write, is an invisible portfolio. Even if no one comments, they’re storing that impression. And when the time is right, they remember.
Don’t Count the Rabbits
Many creatives get discouraged because they count their “likes” and followers the way hunters count trophies. But you can’t measure relationships by day one numbers.
Lume didn’t stop because only two rabbits came close the first week. She didn’t say, “This isn’t worth it.” She kept feeding them until all ten came.
Your ten “rabbits” might be your first ten loyal clients, your first ten recurring buyers, or your first ten brand advocates. Get them, and they’ll bring others.
The World Will Never Change Unless You Decide to Be Kind
That’s the quote I see in this painting. And in the creative hustle, that kindness isn’t just a moral virtue — it’s your unfair advantage.
Kindness in creative work looks like:
Replying thoughtfully to a follower’s comment.
Sending a free tip to someone without expecting anything back.
Sharing another creator’s work because it’s good, not because it benefits you.
Delivering more value in a project than the client paid for.
These aren’t “soft” actions. They’re investments. And they always return with interest — sometimes months or years later.
For Your Creative Hustle This Week
Think about your rabbits — the people who don’t trust you yet but might, if you showed up with your basket every day.
Ask yourself:
What’s in my basket? (What value do I consistently give?)
Am I chasing or feeding? (Do I rush the sale, or do I build trust first?)
What would happen if I committed to this every day for a year?
Because the truth is, you can’t force a rabbit to come. But you can make it impossible for them to ignore you forever.
Final Word
Your creative hustle isn’t about chasing — it’s about planting. It’s about understanding that trust is slow to build and quick to break. It’s about knowing that the world will never change — and neither will your business — unless you decide to operate from a place of generosity, even when no one is watching.
The girl in the forest didn’t set out to “convert” rabbits into fans. She set out to feed them. The result was a forest full of life.
So, what’s in your basket today? And will you show up tomorrow, even if the rabbits don’t?
Fresh Quote for Redbubble
“Kindness is the quietest way to conquer the world.” — Adanne Udejiofor Chukwudi
