How To Really Motivate Each Of The Zodiac Signs
Stagnation can ruin your chances for success. Here's what each sign needs to get going again.
weheartit Ambition and motivation are two different things. Most people have a lot of ambition — we imagine ourselves with great careers, living a life of abundance and wealth.
Maybe you want to travel the globe, or write a best-selling novel, or become a horoscope writer, or be a world leader. The sky’s the limit when it comes to ambition, but without motivation, you’ll never get past the day-dreaming stage.
Motivate comes from the Latin motare, which means “to set in motion” or “to keep moving.” All the planning, talking, and dreaming in the world won’t get you anywhere; if you want to succeed, you have to take action and work toward your goals every day. And you have to keep going, even when things don’t seem to be moving at all, or worse, when you’re faced with insurmountable setbacks and all your progress seems to disappear.
Too many people just throw their hands in the air and give up when things don’t happen quickly or smoothly enough for them. It’s during those periods of frustration, though, that motivation — the ability to stay inspired, enthusiastic, and keep working — is most important.
Everyone has different ways to stay motivated. Some people think of the money, or the fame, or look forward to having a positive effect on as many lives as possible. For others, stressful motivation is more effective: they’re afraid of failure, maybe, or of being a disappointment to others.
A full astrology chart is very useful when you’re trying to figure out how to motivate each zodiac sign, inspire others and set things in motion. Mars’ position in a chart is particularly important, as this is the planet of action. There are certain techniques that work best for each Sun sign, too, so if you don’t have a complete natal chart, try some of these ideas.
ARIES (March 21 - April 19)
Mars is Aries’ ruling planet, so it’s not difficult to get Aries up and moving — action is their natural state. They love challenges, and most Aries can’t resist doing something on a dare. It’s pointless to try to tell Aries what to do, though, so whatever the goal may be, let them think it’s all their idea.
TAURUS (April 20 - May 20)
Taurus is a sign of wealth and luxury. When Taurus needs some extra help to get going, remind them of the huge financial profits they stand to gain from the project.
Talk to them about how secure their future will be if they can just get things done in the present. You may even tempt them with a delicious meal as a reward for a good day’s work.
GEMINI (May 21 - June 20)
Gemini loves to be part of a team, but will quickly lose their momentum if left alone. Because they absorb the energy of the people around them, it’s easy for Gemini to stay enthusiastic about something if everyone else in the group is working toward the same goals.
CANCER (June 21 - July 22)
Home and family are Cancer’s primary focus. When Cancer needs a push, tell them how much the project will benefit their close friends and family. Usually passive and reserved, they’ll do just about anything if it will benefit the few people they really love and trust.
LEO (July 23 - August 22)
Leo thrives on praise and applause. They’re usually pretty active to begin with, since they love playing to an appreciative audience. When Leo does something great, tell them so — better yet, tell them in public. Leo can and will move mountains if you just keep the kudos coming.
VIRGO (August 23 - September 22)
Virgo’s critical nature can be annoying, but at the same time, someone has to point out where a plan could fail and pinpoint what’s going wrong. Let Virgo be in charge of details and quality control.
They love to give advice, and because they’re so hyper-focused on processes and organization, they can help keep things running smoothly.
LIBRA (September 23 - October 22)
Promise Libra a party to celebrate whenever a big milestone is reached. They love happy get-togethers and celebrations!
In the meantime, encourage them to work with others. Libra loses their motivation when they take on too much and get overwhelmed. They’ll do great as a member of a well-rounded team where everyone contributes a specific talent.
SCORPIO (October 23 - November 21)
When Scorpio’s enthusiasm wanes, give them a push by helping them find their opponents’ weak spots. Whether it’s another person, an irritating rule, or some vague social construct that stands in their way, Scorpio loves coming up with creative ways of tearing down anyone and anything that’s working against them.
SAGITTARIUS (November 22 - December 21)
Sagittarius doesn't require motivation so much as they need help staying on track. This sign is always interested and involved in something.
Many Sagittarians have several things going on at once, but they’re easily distracted, and can’t resist a shiny new idea. Keep them focused by helping them find something new and exciting about whatever work they’ve already started.
CAPRICORN (December 22 - January 19)
This sign is associated with long-term goals and self-discipline already, so they don’t often require external motivation. The best way to energize Capricorn and make them happy is to roll up your sleeves, ask them what you can do to help, and work right alongside them.
AQUARIUS (January 20 - February 18)
Despite their aloofness and independence, Aquarius is the sign of the humanitarian. They may not be good at one-on-one interactions, but they care a great deal about people in general.
Nothing lights a fire under Aquarius’ butt like showing them how people are suffering under oppression and reminding them how much good they can do for so many people.
PISCES (February 19 - March 20)
Of all the signs, Pisces tends to need the most prodding. Pisces has a huge heart and a great imagination, but often stops short of turning their dreams into action. They’re often empathic, though, and easily get caught up in others’ feelings.
If someone else is truly enthusiastic and excited about something, Pisces will pick up and that and happily join in whatever the activity is.
Christine Schoenwald is a writer, performer, and teacher who loves writing and performing personal narratives. She's had pieces in The Los Angeles Times, Salon, Woman's Day, Purple Clover, Bustle, and is a regular contributor to Ravishly and YourTango. Check out her website or her Facebook page.