Greetings, dear readers!
For my husband and me, and likely many of you, the midpoint of August signals the start of a new academic term. I love this time of year because it offers a chance to plan the projects and goals I want to achieve over the next nine months. Planning is one of my favorite activities, which is probably no surprise given that my sun sign is Virgo.
In my day job as a psychology professor, I’ve learned a lot about setting goals and planning. I’ve had some stellar years where I accomplished everything I set out to do, and I’ve had years where nearly everything I touched seemed to fall apart. In addition, I get to watch and teach students how to plan their terms, celebrate their successes, and console them in their setbacks.
In the spirit of going back to school, I thought it would be a great idea to explore how tarot can be used as a practical tool—not just for self-actualization and spiritual development, but for organizing our lives and achieving our goals. Tarot is a powerful tool for focusing on what truly matters to us. It cuts through distractions and gets to the heart of what we desire for ourselves. More importantly, it helps us understand why we want what we want.
While this blog post focuses primarily on the academic experience of going back to school, I hope some of the principles I explore will help anyone with big goals and significant responsibilities. Remember, tarot is as flexible as you are—just because the outer trappings may not seem to fit, don’t disregard the underlying structure.
Part 1: What Do You Want and Why Do You Want It?
Acknowledge Your Limitless Potential
The structure of the tarot mirrors the human experience: we are born with limitless potential, we mature into ourselves, and then we transcend into the next phase of life. This process can be found both in the vast movements of the universe and in the lives of the tiniest organisms. It also takes place intrapsychically—not just in the physical world, but within us.
The first step in setting any goal, even something mundane, is to acknowledge that we have the potential within us to enact the process of formation, maturation, and transcendence. We hold within us the potential to become anything, and our only responsibility is to choose what that will be. Philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre argued that we often make these choices based on social or cultural expectations rather than our true desires, a concept he called "living in bad faith."
To get the most out of life, we must enact our freedom to become whoever we wish to be. We need that spark of purpose to take our limitless potential and form it into desire.
As a student, you may not feel this divine spark of purpose right now. You might feel stuck in the grind, and the start of a new semester could bring feelings of dread due to the burden of responsibility. These feelings are valid, especially if you’ve been on this rodeo for a few years now. I’ve been here for 13 years; I get it!
However, if you want to succeed, you need to dig deep and ignite your purpose. Otherwise, you’ll fall into the trap of living in bad faith, which will cut you off from your potential and limit your ability to achieve your desires.
Sure, you might not desire to do homework this semester. But if you just accept it as a perpetual punishment, you’ll never be able to master it.
Reframe Your Perspective
Instead of dreading the work ahead, start by reframing your perspective. You’re doing homework this semester because you desire to:
- Get your dream job
- Make your family proud
- Learn new things
- Achieve your goal of earning a degree
Once you find and acknowledge that core desire, you have something to work with to set yourself up for success.
Part 2: How Do You Set Realistic and Measurable Goals?
Now that you’ve identified your core desires, it’s time to transform them into goals. A goal differs from a desire in two key ways:
- A definite end state: You need to know when you’ve met your goal.
- A scaffolded process: You need a clear plan to reach your goal.
Start With the End in Mind
Let’s take an example: You may have written down, "Do well in my classes." This is a great desire, but it’s not a goal. To turn it into a goal, you need to explore what "do well" means to you.
- Does it mean you want all As?
- Does it mean you want to learn something practical?
- Does it mean you want to use the information from your classes to improve your life?
Let’s focus on the first option: You want a 4.0 GPA for Fall 2024. This is a great goal because it has two clear indicators of success. First, the semester has a definite end date (around December), and second, you have a numerical value to determine success.
Now, let’s contrast this with the third option, "improve your life." This goal doesn’t have a clear end date or a numerical value. If you chose this goal, you’d need to explore what "improve your life" means. Do you want to make more money? Live a healthier lifestyle? Make more friends?
Because, let’s be honest, if you think learning new things alone will make you feel better, you’re in for a surprise. There’s a reason the 10 of Swords depicts a man bleeding out on the ground.
To clarify what "improve your life" means, use the tarot to see if you can get to the heart of it. Let’s say you draw the following cards: 3 of Pentacles, 4 of Wands, Lovers.
One interpretation could be that your desire is rooted in a need for more professional, close colleagues with whom you can co-create new knowledge, projects, and bond over your shared love of a topic. From here, you realize it’s not just about getting the A; it’s about the social aspect of learning.
Now, you can turn this desire into a measurable goal: "I want to form at least three professional relationships by the end of the semester." Now, instead of a vague desire to "improve your life," you have a concrete goal you can measure.
Part 3: How Do You Systematize Motivation?
The key to setting goals is ensuring each one is rooted in your material reality. Avoid vague goals without clear end states or measurable outcomes, as they’ll leave you continuously chasing an unfulfilled desire. This can lead to discouragement because you can’t track your progress or know if you’ve truly reached your goal. So, we need to create a system that keeps you on track and rewards you for your effort.
Start with the end in mind. You need to know exactly what will happen when you achieve your goal. Write down your measurable goal at the top of your paper, followed by the date it should conclude.
For example, let’s say your goal is to write a scholarly article and submit it to a research journal by December 1st. This goal is measurable and has a clear end date.
Next, think about the significant steps needed to complete this goal. Here’s how you could break it down:
- Brainstorm the purpose of the paper
- Conduct a literature review
- Write the argument
- Get feedback
- Draft and edit the paper
- Submit the paper to a journal
Then, break each significant step into smaller, manageable tasks. For example, the "conduct literature review" step could be broken down into:
- Searching through online databases
- Visiting the library for books
- Writing summaries of research findings
- Organizing summaries into meaningful subsections
- Drafting a narrative to tie the research together
- Creating references for your bibliography
Each smaller task should be tied to a specific time block in your calendar. For example, you might dedicate an hour from 2 PM to 3 PM on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for two weeks straight to collect your sources.
By doing this, you’re systematizing your motivation. Each time you complete a time block, you’re moving closer to your goal. This approach prevents you from being overwhelmed by the size of the goal and allows you to acknowledge your progress each step of the way.
Part 4: When Do You Need to Check In With Yourself?
For this process to work, you need to be your own accountability partner. Here’s what works for me:
- Weekly reflection: Set aside time at the beginning of the week to reflect on what worked and what didn’t last week. Adjust your to-do list and calendar accordingly. Use tarot to reflect on the past week and anticipate the coming week.
- Daily preparation: Prepare for your day the night before. Set out your clothes, pack your lunch, and double-check your schedule and to-do list.
- Rest day: Plan a recurring rest day. We don’t all have the luxury of a full rest day, but Sundays are my meal prep and deep cleaning days. I spend time doing physical labor to reset my mind for the coming week.
- Visual tracking: Set up a visual system to track your growth. It can be physical or digital. I use a whiteboard method to track my big goals. For example, I list the things I want to write at the top, those under review in the middle, and published items at the bottom. As tasks move from top to bottom, I feel pride in my accomplishments.
Conclusion
Virgo season is in full swing, dear reader, and I feel energized by the desire to get my life organized. If you’re feeling the same way, I hope this blog post has been helpful! The key to success in this process is being specific and intentional.
Virgo is not the sign of "vibes"; she demands that we hold ourselves accountable and use our time to work diligently. If you can set specific, measurable goals and build a system that supports your motivation, you’ll be well on your way to mastering the semester and beyond!
Until next time, keep striving, and don’t forget to check in with yourself. You have the power to create a life you love, one tarot card and one goal at a time.
New Spread: Virgo Season
Our spread this week can be used to jump start your goal setting process for the beginning of the school year by helping you to identify how your desires are formed and the process to bring them to harvest. Think of this spread as a jumping off point to help you articulate what you want, and then use the content from this week's blog to refine that desire into measurable goals.
Card 1: The Seed (Formation)
What is my true desire?
This card represents the core desire that you wish to bring into existence. It’s the spark of potential within you that needs to be recognized and nurtured.
Card 2: The Soil (Grounding)
What resources or strengths do I have to support this desire?
This card helps identify the tools, resources, or strengths you already possess that will help you nurture and ground your desire in reality.
Card 3: The Roots (Planning)
What foundational steps do I need to take?
This card reveals the initial steps you need to take to form a solid plan. Think of it as the blueprint for your goals—the necessary actions that will allow your desire to take root.
Card 4: The Growth (Maturation)
How can I best sustain and develop this desire?
This card represents the ongoing efforts required to nurture your desire as it grows. It may also highlight challenges or opportunities for personal growth as you work towards your goal.
Card 5: The Harvest (Achievement)
What does success look like for me?
This card gives you a clear picture of what the fulfillment of your desire will look like. It helps you visualize the end state and understand what “harvest” or achievement means for this particular goal.
Card 6: The Reflection (Transcendence)
What lesson will I learn through this process?
This card provides insight into the deeper lesson or wisdom you’ll gain from the entire journey. It’s about transcending the specific goal and understanding how this experience contributes to your personal growth and evolution.
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