Which Zodiac Sign Is Most Likely to Self-Sabotage? (Psst, There’s More Than One)

A lot of questions that come up about astrology are quite loaded. As an astrologer, I prefer to keep my mouth shut rather than answer inquiries like, “Which sign is the most toxic?” or “Which sign is the worst at relationships?” Not only is there no actual answer to any of these questions, someone’s sun sign is really only the very tip of the iceberg. Astrology is a tool, not a 12 part gospel.

That said, when asked about which sign was most likely to self-sabotage, I wondered if there was an answer. I know that there’s a way to tell how each sign self-sabotages, but is one really more likely than the rest? 

Astrology is really about timing, so maybe the question is less about who’s going to self-destruct and more about when they’re going to blow. Here’s the breakdown of how each sign self sabotages and who is most likely to.

You can find pretty much any part of a person’s life in a birth chart from their appearance to their health to their career. You can also find each person’s self-defeating behavior.

Self-sabotage is found in the 12th house, which is the part of the chart that represents the unconscious, the void and exile; it’s the sign that was coming over the horizon as our mother was in labor. It’s what we almost were. The 12th house is where we learn that some things are out of our control and accept that sometimes all we can do is surrender. Self-sabotage happens when instead of retreating, we cling harder to our bad habits.

A good cheat sheet for figuring out each sign’s 12th house is that the 12th house is always the sign before the sign in question. So Aries has a Pisces 12th house, Taurus has an Aries 12th house, Gemini has a Taurus 12th house, etc. You can tell a lot about a sign’s bad habits via the sign of the 12th house as well as the planet that rules it.

Aquarius and Pisces self-sabotage via isolation. Both have a 12th house ruled by Saturn—planet of limits, responsibilities and solitude. For both these signs, who are known for their great acts of humanitarianism, it’s very hard to ask for help. The need to prove their self-sufficiency is their downfall.

Aries and Capricorn, signs known for taking the lead and even being a little bit bossy, run into trouble when they make assumptions. Both signs have a 12th house ruled by Jupiter—planet of hope, enthusiasm and wisdom. Aries and Capricorn avoid facing things head on by assuming they already know how everything plays out. They take for granted that their predictions about the future are correct rather than living their lives.

Taurus and Sagittarius are two very different signs but interestingly, they both self sabotage via procrastination. Both signs have a 12th house ruled by Mars—planet of action, movement and conflict. Both signs are known for their cheery nature and hate being seen in a negative light so they procrastinate extra hard when it comes to conflict. Both also have a tendency to focus on the wrong things rather than just getting the work that’s in front of them done.

Gemini and Scorpio are another two signs that could not be more different—though interestingly are the two most maligned signs— but they both self-sabotage via overindulging. With a 12th house ruled by love and beauty planet Venus, these signs lack moderation and balance, and never know when enough is enough. These are also signs who can get stuck in patterns of black or white thinking wanting to be seen as either a “perfect angel” or a “rebel,” nothing in between.

“OK—I’m only texting you about this because I’m spiraling, but what if I did [xyz] for [xyz], do you think that would make sense?” reads the text Cancer or Libra just fired off to five different friends. Both Cancer and Libra have a 12th house ruled by Mercury, the planet of communication, thoughts and technical skills. Libra especially can also get caught in loops of self-critique. When both are done with their spiral of thinking through all choices, they often find no one is waiting on the other line.

Leo needs the spotlight, but even this very showy sign who loves being the center of attention can come off as guarded. With a 12th house ruled by the Moon, Leos tend to hide their true feelings and struggles to protect their heart, and convince everyone that they really do live a perfect, glamorous life. 

Virgos are known for being detail-oriented and meticulous, and with a Leo 12th house ruled by the Sun, they both love and hate the spotlight. The sun-ruled 12th house makes it so that Virgos over-identify with their self-sabotaging habits, and have a sense of pride around their need for control. The worst part is that even after doing all that micromanaging, they shy away from taking any of the credit.

To ask which sign is most likely to self sabotage, is really asking which sign is most likely to get stuck in the 12th house, the sign who most resists being embodied or in the present. The easy answer might be Virgo with that Leo 12th house. It’s hard to resist the pull of the sun.

But is it that simple? All of the signs seem likely to self-sabotage depending on the day and the vibes. Perhaps the question is not about who but when. 

The 12th house is lit up by the sun in the month before someone’s birthday season. So for Aries, this is Pisces season; for Taurus, this is Aries season, and for Gemini, this is Taurus season, etc.  To simplify it: let’s say that the month before one’s birthday is when that sign is most likely to self-sabotage. This might even be an explanation for the birthday blues. 

Whether it’s through isolation, self-criticism or a constant need to control, all signs are likely to self-sabotage, but they’re most likely to do it in the season right before their own.

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