It’s Leo season! This means it’s time to dispel some of the circulating myths about Leos.
Negative stereotypes in astrology are often a narrow perspective of any of the zodiac signs. The Leo zodiac sign has numerous positive traits and some that are just simply misunderstood. It’s time to dig into the truth about Leo.
A Leo can be one of your best allies–even if that Leo is you!
If you’ve been feeling bad about the Leo facts you have been reading about yourself, remember: don’t believe everything you read. Some of the widespread information about the Leo zodiac sign are sensationalized.
Ultimately, looking at Leo’s unique way of seeing the world will help us find ways to get along with them better so we can work, live, and play in harmony. Today we are going to look deeper into this zodiac sign that will help you see how weaknesses are actually strengths.
Where is Leo in your chart? Get your free birth chart today to find out!
Things You Need to Know About Leo
To truly understand this sign, it’s important to know its element, symbol, and ruling planet.
Leo is a Fire sign, which is why they are energetic, dynamic, and creative. This makes them extroverted and courageous, constantly wanting to help instigate new things.
The Leo symbol is a Lion which reveals their core personality on another level. The lion is known as the king of the jungle which means Leos can’t help that they are often asked to be a leader, or feel like they should be.
They have a lot of energy that is often required of those taking on extra responsibility.
Finally, their ruling planet is the Sun. This means they often feel compelled to “wake people up” and inspire them, just as the Sun pulls us from our slumber. Leos intrinsically feel a need to help support life in big ways, which is why they may not be too interested in things that feel repetitive or that aren’t growth-oriented.
Read this next: Everything You Need to Know About Fire Signs
8 Unfair Myths About Leo
Leos are not satisfied with mediocrity, and will usually challenge themselves to grow.
Let’s look at how this big-picture personality is often misunderstood so we can support them in being great leaders and change agents, and perhaps even learn a thing or two from their courage.
1. They Are Bad Listeners
Leos are storytellers and like to talk in public, which often makes people think they will not be engaged listeners. Leos actually live to uplift and help others, and pride themselves in that fact.
They are actually very motivated from a core level to listen, relate, and help you pull out your inner strength. Leos are well-read and well-versed in conversation. While they may not want to listen to certain things like complaining or excuses, they will stay up all night with you listening to your hopes and dreams and help you come up with a plan to reach them.
Looking to be as well-read as a Leo? You might want to check out: Hey Leo! Here Are 5 Books You Need to Read
2. They Think They Are Better Than Other People
Because Leos are so confident and talk about things they’ve done, people often mistake this enthusiasm for narcissism.
A Leo doesn’t share because they want people to tell them how great they are. If you listen to the intention behind their story, they are often trying to inspire you to believe in yourself, and to find more happiness by sharing something they have learned.
They don’t have all the answers but if they see an opportunity to inspire, they will take it. In turn, they want to hear all about your life as well.
3. They Constantly Need Attention
Leos are often active on social media, attend lots of social events or host them, and tend to be highly social creatures in general. Just because they are not introverts, it doesn’t mean they are just trying to get attention. They learn about the world through people and collect information by interacting with people.
This zodiac sign finds motivation by constantly learning about people who triumph over adversity or rise from the ashes of a challenge. They are looking for ways to learn how to be a better leader or contributor to society by talking to people, and they don’t need as much time by themselves to think or decompress as some other signs do.
They are able to handle lots of people without getting overwhelmed–don’t mistake this as needing validation.
4. They Are Vain & Arrogant
This is a major stereotype of this zodiac sign!
We often categorize Leos as arrogant because they have “swagger” and capture the attention of a room easily. Their charisma simply comes from their element and their ruling planet, which gives them a big energy field. Their bold fashion also makes people think they are vain, but they simply like to have fun and aren’t afraid to express themselves or stand out.
One thing about these natural leaders is that they have to be willing to break the mold. Leos do not follow the crowd, and they are willing to think independently and make big, bold choices when it counts.
5. They Are Selfish
This is another really big misunderstood aspect of Leos. Leos don’t compromise their goals or set them aside for relationships. They prioritize their careers because they know that they need a channel for all of their Fire in order to stay balanced.
Although they might appear to be obsessed with their own success, it’s often just that they know how much time and energy it takes to launch really big projects. They will do more in a year than some people do in a decade, and this is because they have a ton of energy and need an outlet for it.
It’s hard for someone with so much energy to just sit and watch the birds fly and feel relaxed. Leos always feel like they need to be learning all they can to lead revolutions. If you manage your expectations of this zodiac sign, you’ll find it easier to appreciate them.
6. They Are High Maintenance in Relationships
That leads us to another myth that can give people cold feet about getting into relationships with Leos.
Leos may have a lot going on in their life besides you, and for some people, that can be hard to accept. They are very passionate about what they do, and because they love what they do so much, they often obsess over it. If you can understand their vision, you will not feel like you need their constant attention and support for who they are.
If it’s difficult to accept that a Leo might have other passions besides you, you can look at it as an invitation to get in touch with your own passions instead of feeling jealous or neglected. You can set boundaries and get excited about your own goals. Just don’t mistake enthusiasm for being high maintenance.
7. They Can’t Play the Supportive Partner Role
If you worry about not having someone who will ask you how your day is or pay attention to what is going on in your life, a Leo can actually be highly supportive. You just need to know the type of support they can offer, and realize that different zodiac signs are able to support others based on their own unique personalities.
Leos can support you in feeling confident, facing your fears, tackling big life changes, overcoming setbacks, and pulling your big dreams out from hiding. While they may not seem to care about which couch you buy or what color your hair is, they just want you to be happy, and they will be attentive to the core things that can help you get there.
8. They Are Opportunists & Power Hungry
If you have met a Leo that comes off as someone who just likes to rub elbows with the movers and shakers, it’s true that they try to know just about everyone (especially those who own businesses or are successful).
However, just because they go after what they want, it doesn’t mean that they will step on people to get there.
Leos actually enjoy making everyone around them successful and will go to great lengths to help lift their friends up with them. They are open to taking risks and looking for opportunities–Leos have big hearts and plenty of empathy.
Why It’s Best to Let These Myths Go
The next time you find yourself thinking negatively about a Leo (even if it’s yourself), think about how you may be acting judgemental because you just don’t understand them enough.
Remember that it is much more fun to get along with people than to not like them. When we see the good in others and work to really understand them, it opens us to unlimited positive experiences, friendships, romance, and opportunities.
We invite you to check out our other myth-busting articles about Taurus and Cancer so you can continue to open your mind and hearts to more people and expand your social circle in an empowered way.
If you are a Leo yourself and want to continue learning, you can read your free daily horoscope. Each Leo is going to be slightly different depending on their birth chart, so be sure to investigate those as well!
Related articles: Personality Traits & Characteristics of the Female Leo & Personality Traits & Characteristics of the Male Leo