Archive · 6 Sep 2026
Jack Ma’s Rabbit Quote Urges Focus Over Distraction
Jack Ma compares goals to rabbits that are running around.
If you try to catch many rabbits at once, you may catch none.
He says it is better to choose one important goal.
When that goal is difficult, do not immediately switch to another one.
Instead, learn more and change your approach.
This means saying no to distractions.
The idea can help businesses, investors, and people choosing careers.
It encourages patience, practice, and strong focus.
Jack Ma’s rabbit analogy advises people to focus on one goal rather than chase several opportunities.
He says that when progress is difficult, people should improve their skills and strategy instead of changing targets.
The lesson emphasizes saying “no” to distractions and mastering one product, market, or competency first.
The advice is applied to startups, corporate strategy, investing, and career specialization amid constant new trends.
The metaphor reportedly emerged during Alibaba’s early-2000s turnaround and later gained wider attention through Win in China.
- Who
- Jack Ma, the Chinese entrepreneur and Alibaba Group co-founder, is associated with the quote.
- What
- The quote advises people to focus on one objective instead of pursuing multiple opportunities simultaneously.
- When
- The metaphor reportedly originated during Alibaba’s early turnaround in the early 2000s and was repeated in later speeches.
- Where
- It was used in Alibaba’s leadership context and later discussed widely in China and the global business community.
- Why
- The message is intended to promote prioritization, discipline, adaptability, and resistance to distractions.
- Quote
- “If there are nine rabbits on the ground and you want to catch one, just focus on one.”
- Additional advice
- “Don’t try to change the rabbit; change yourself until you catch it.”
- Main lesson
- Choose one target and improve your skills or strategy rather than continually switching goals.
- Business context
- The philosophy was linked to Alibaba cutting side ventures after the dot-com crash and concentrating on B2B e-commerce.
- Wider platform
- The analogy gained popularity after Ma used it on the entrepreneurial reality TV show Win in China.
- Jack Ma’s role
- He co-founded Alibaba Group in 1999, served as CEO until 2013, and resigned as executive chairman in September 2019.