What Each Life Path Number Means According to Numerology

I’m a stereotypical Leo. (For anyone reading this who knows me, cue the “Yeah, we can tell” in 3… 2… 1…) I think it’s the perfect explanation of who I am — a little vain, confident, outgoing, and always loving to be the center of attention. According to numerology, I’m also a life path number 6, which means I’m loving, comforting, and responsible. So basically I’m the best of everything. (There’s that Leo coming out again.)

You may know your zodiac sign already, but learning your life path number can enlighten you to a unique second aspect to your personality. Here’s how to find it and what it means.

Your life path number will be a number from 0 to 9, 11, 22, or 33. All you need to determine yours is your birthday. You add each number together by month, day, and year, removing all zeros and reducing each number down to a single digit. We’ll use my birthday, August 13, as an example.

1983 = 1+9+8+3 = 21. Reduce that number to single digits: 2+1 = 3.

Then add all the numbers together, and reduce that down to a single digit.

So my life path number is 6.

Once you’ve calculated out your life path number, use this handy list to see what it means about you.

People with this life path number are leaders. They’re pioneers and want to be first and the best at what they do. Their need to achieve makes them motivated and determined, but leads to irritation when things aren’t done, and intolerance of those who aren’t as action-oriented.

Life path twos are focused on peace, learning, and cooperation. They attempt to see everything from every angle in order to better empathize with and understand others. They’re loyal to a fault and enjoy being in relationships. Twos can also struggle with this, though — they can sometimes be too accommodating and oversensitive.

Threes are playful, independent, and creative. They’re most likely involved in the arts in some way or have a public-facing career. They’re optimistic, generous, and charismatic, making friends easily. That being said, they’re not always the most responsible people, can struggle with money, and tend to procrastinate.

People with a four life path are generally down-to-earth and hard workers. Fours are very realistic, and approach most things with practicality and logic. They are loyal friends that you can depend on in a crunch. Fours can also be unnecessarily blunt, rigid, and overly cautious, though, which can cause them to miss out on things that require quick reaction.

Adventurous fives look for the excitement in life; they are always on the go and seeking variety. They live in the now and approach the world with curiosity rather than trepidation. But because of their desire to always be doing something new, they can have a difficult time maintaining relationships because they can feel trapped. Fives also run the risk of getting bored easily when they need to stay put for a while.

Life path sixes (yours truly!) are loving, comforting, and responsible. They enjoy taking care of other people, even if it’s something as simple as buying them a surprise gift. However, they also have a tendency to be overly critical of those who don’t reciprocate the same level of giving, and can sometimes meddle in things they shouldn’t involve themselves with.

Sevens are the loners of the life path bunch. They prefer being in nature instead of being stuck inside. Sevens are introspective and do a lot of thinking and investigating to discover the truth about things around them. Being alone and so inward, though, can cause them to be lonely and to struggle in relationships.

People with a life path eight do well in business and politics, thanks to natural leadership qualities. They handle money well and tend to make a lot of it. Like fours, they work hard — but that can bloom into being a workaholic for eights. This life path number also wants to be in control of their own decisions and their own destiny, which can make them a little rigid when trying to compromise.

Compassion and generosity are the defining characteristics of nines. They are often humanitarians and do a lot of philanthropic work. Nines are also incredibly empathetic, which leads to a lot of the giving they do. On the flip side, that means they sometimes have problems with money. Nines are also prone to having difficult relationships with one or both of their parents.

These three life path numbers are quite rare. If you have one, it generally means that you have a better understanding of the world than most, you are better at sharing knowledge (which for you, is expansive), and you’re more spiritual than many others.