Your Capricorn Zodiac Sign Guide: Everything To Know About the Motivated Earth Sign

The curtain call at the end of the year and the start of a new one can often feel a bit like whiplash. While the second half of December is typically brimming with warm, cozy family time and holiday traditions galore, it quickly morphs into big-picture goal-setting and putting your nose to the grindstone for the first half of January. The juxtaposition of making the most of heartwarming moments with loved ones and pragmatic planning for the future is perfectly representative of Capricorn. Annually, between December 22 and January 19, the sun moves through the tenth sign of the zodiac, Capricorn, symbolized by the Goat.

Encompassing Christmas, often Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and New Year’s, as well as the first few weeks of the next calendar year, this time of year is filled with celebration and whimsy, but also tends to be packed with responsibilities (to work, to family, to yourself) and can feel like a crucial time to get all your ducks in a row. No wonder it’s a time of the year ruled by Capricorn, an earth sign associated with an unfailing drive, a sensible outlook on life, determination, loyalty, tradition, and a razor-focus on achievement. These traits are owed to Cap’s ruling planet Saturn, which oversees hard work, challenging lessons, organization, concentration, responsibility, rules, boundaries, and discipline.

A few practical, hard-working Capricorns: Michelle Obama, Kate Middleton, Regina King, Zooey Deschanel, and January Jones are all astrologically wired to put in exhaustive time and energy to make their mark — and make a difference — as a result of being in the public eye.

Here, everything you need to know about the resourceful, highly motivated earth sign.

Capricorn Personality Traits

The Overachiever of the Zodiac

Those born between December 22 and January 19 can generally assume that their sun sign is Capricorn. (It’s not definitive, because the sun moves between signs on different days annually.) Also note that while we tend to refer to ourselves as our sun sign, it’s just one detail of a natal chart, which is basically a unique snapshot of the sky when you were born. But it’s a detail that helps color your core sense of self, identity, personal style, self-esteem, and confidence.

Typical sun in Cap traits include being relentlessly driven to hit their career goals, pouring their minds, hearts, and often physical well-being into their work. They see the world through a pragmatic lens that lends itself to getting and staying organized and are constantly striving to be on their A-game and be respected by colleagues and friends alike. Capricorns respect and stick to time-honored traditions with loved ones, and are known for being uptight when it comes to rules and regulations. They’re lovers of vintage anything — wardrobe, wine, music — and often come off as wise and mature, regardless of their age. They’re also the Benjamin Buttons of the zodiac, seemingly growing more laidback, playful, and youthful as the years go by.

These characteristics reflect many themes covered by the Tenth House of Career, which Capricorn rules. The Tenth House covers not only career goals and advancement, but public reputation, authority figures, social standing, reputation, responsibility, and overall success in the world.

The Cardinal Earth Sign

Every sign is assigned a quality (cardinal, mutable, or fixed), which explains the sign’s fundamental energy. There’s a cardinal, mutable, and fixed sign within every element (fire, earth, air, water). Cap is the cardinal one of the earth group, which makes them visionaries who are driven to constantly generate new strategies for success, just like Aries (fire), Libra (air), and Cancer (water). They’re often brimming with bold, brilliant ideas, but follow-through can feel like a slightly uphill battle.

Capricorns’ Best Personality Traits

Industrious, practical, reliable, organized, and stable, the Capricorns in your life are bound to constantly inspire you with their perpetual drive and determination to reach their lofty goals. And then they set the bar even higher for themselves, leaving you impressed — and perhaps a bit envious of their no-fail go-getter energy. Their need to work relentlessly to get to the top of the professional mountain extends to their personal lives, as they tend to be ambitious in looking after their health, families, and long-term friendships. They might also make you smirk or chuckle with their signature dry sense of humor and biting sarcasm. They are the personal trainer who is constantly pushing themselves to learn more and do more, running marathons or offering you a spot in their workout challenge. They’re the best friend who always understands if you have to reschedule for work. If you’re dating a Capricorn, they’ll propose you spend Saturday afternoon exploring a particularly challenging activity — or working on a spreadsheet to boost your side hustle profits.

Capricorns’ Worst Personality Traits

The cardinal earth sign’s practical, serious, restrained approach to life might cause them to be perceived as, well, boring. They’re generally not one to take risks — unless they’re calculated and backed up by plenty of data — or propose a thoroughly spontaneous game plan. They might also drag their feet on taking action because that earthy pragmatism often goes hand-in-hand with their own Cap brand of perfectionism. Their Saturnian influence can cause them to be workaholics, stick with tried-and-true, old-school methods over less-proven ones, and keep their guard. They can hold back from sharing their feelings, as they’d usually prefer to come off as calm, professional, polished, and above the fray. Looking “foolish” is a standard Cap nightmare

What Capricorns Are Like In Love and Bed

Capricorns’ romance style

You might be seeing someone born under the influence of practical, committed, grounded, old-school-loving Capricornian energy if your date has a dry, sarcastic sense of humor, an impressive resume, or a love of listening to 20th-century hits on vinyl. The earth sign is an industrious, sensible, old soul, which appeals to anyone who dreams of building a solid relationship in which neither partner shies away from putting in any and all types of work.

If you’re looking to connect with a Cap in a lasting way, you’ll need to be respectful of their passion for their professional path. They might work especially long hours and struggle to set boundaries between their business and their home lives. They also express how they feel in a direct, pragmatic way versus opting for a flowery, poetic style. On the other hand, they can be a stabilizing force, easy to count on, and unafraid of taking on even the most daunting challenges of a relationship.

Capricorns’ Sexual Style

Caps bring that driven M.O. into the bedroom. Because their ruling planet is taskmaster Saturn, they’re willing to put in whatever work necessary to please and pleasure their partner. And bearing in mind that Saturn also oversees rules, regulations, and boundaries. Capricorns have a tendency to enjoy power play, often enjoying taking on a dominant role — or perhaps experimenting with tying their partner up, using handcuffs, or creating other role-play scenarios with an authoritative vibe. They like calling the shots and “disciplining” their partner in a respectful and playful way. They’re also eager to keep pushing the bar higher, so they can feel like they’re achieving more (yes, even in their sex lives) — perhaps by experimenting with sex toys or more challenging positions.

Given the fact that Cap rules the Tenth House of Career, nothing gets the Goat hotter and more bothered than professional success, advancement, or recognition. Feeling respected by not only their colleagues and higher-ups but by their lovers is key to feeling confident and interested in getting it on.

Capricorn Compatibility

Wondering how Cap matches up with your sign as a friend, a lover, a colleague, or any other one-on-one relationship? Here are their most harmonious partners as well as conflict-triggering pairings:

Most Compatible With

Signs that share the same element tend to be the most in sync (e.g., two water signs, like Cancer and Scorpio). This is especially the case for two earth signs, both of whom have an innate appreciation for keeping it real.

Earth is also traditionally compatible with water because the two elements complement one another. Water signs help the earth sit with their emotions and hit the pause button on rational thought in order to dream, while earth signs can guide water signs to plan and organize. That said, a Cap often hits it off with a similarly pragmatic, thoughtful Taurus, cerebral, thoughtful Virgo, or family-oriented, driven Scorpio.

Least Compatible With

Opposites can attract — and that’s often the case with Capricorn and Cancer. These two connect on their shared love of dominating in their professional world and building a gratifying domestic life. But because both are cardinal and intensely ambitious, they can find themselves resentful that they’re not one another’s top priority.

Capricorn is also square (the most challenging angle that exists between two signs) conflict-averse air sign Libra and competitive fire sign Aries. Unless they have other positive aspects in their natal charts, Cap can respect these two other cardinal signs for their bold, visionary perspectives on life, but they’ll struggle to find harmony emotionally.

What if You Have Capricorn Elsewhere in Your Chart?

As mentioned previously, the sun sign is one of many aspects of a natal chart. When you were born, the moon and all the planets in our solar system were in one of the 12 signs and a particular position — all of which help to inform your personality and areas of your life. Here’s what it means if Cap shows up in any of the main areas of your chart:

Capricorn Moon

The moon, which spends about two to three days in each sign, influences your emotions and intuition. If it was in Cap at the time of your birth, you’re enterprising, serious, and often take a practical approach when maintaining and expressing how you feel in your nearest and dearest relationships.

Capricorn Mercury

Mercury, which spends about two to three weeks in a sign, shapes your communication style. If it was in Cap when you were born, you are thorough, pragmatic, and research-oriented when it comes to sharing your knowledge with others. You prefer to categorize, organize, and assess before making a move.

Capricorn Venus

Venus, which remains in a sign for about three to five weeks, influences how you behave in relationships and how you attract others. If you were born with the planet of love and beauty in Sag, you’re quick to assure any potential partner or a current S.O. that you’re capable, confident, and competent. Trading notes on your accomplishments and practical plans might feel downright romantic.

Capricorn Mars

Mars, which remains in a sign for six or seven weeks, affects your energy, strength, sexual style, and how you experience courage. If you were born while the fiery, dynamic, fighter planet was in cardinal, earthy Cap, you’re eagle-eye-focused on rising to the top of your chosen industry. You tend to come off as controlled, determined, and reserved when moving forward on any game plan.

Capricorn Ascendant (Or Rising)

Your ascendant or rising sign influences how you present yourself to the world. As a Capricorn ascendant, you come off as practical, down-to-earth, traditional, and endlessly career-oriented.