Leo personality traits

In many ways Leos are the children of the zodiac. Fun, adventurous, genuine, generous and highly charismatic they like to be larger than life and enjoy showing off, being admired, praised and appreciated. Very playful and competitive they like to be the best in whatever they do. Outwardly their egos tend to appear to be immune to criticism, while inwardly they are sensitive to criticism from those they respect or care about.

Best Leo traits and characteristics

Outgoing
Charismatic
Sociable
Extrovert
Self confident
Optimistic
Generous
Self motivated
Natural leaders
Genuine
Enthusiastic
Passionate
Adventurous
Direct
Ambitious
Spontaneous
Independent
Courageous
Straightforward
Determined
Deep thinking
Persistent
Willful
Independent
dramatic (good and bad!)
Forgiving (rarely hold a grudge)

Worst Leo traits and characteristics

It's worth noting that most good Leo traits and characteristics have an equal and opposite bad trait or characteristic. For example, someone who is highly analytical could be described as either intelligent (good) or unemotional (bad). Someone who is spontaneous (good) is also impulsive (bad).

Creating drama and excitement if they get bored
Domineering
Egotistical
Self absorbed
Aggressive
Confrontational
Melodramatic
bored easily
Impulsive
Impatient
Reckless
Blunt spoken
Stubborn
Opinionated
Inflexible
Pretentious
Vain

Leo people tend to like:

Praise and flattery
Risks
Excitement
Living for the moment
Romance to be fun and exciting
Quality
Luxury
Showing off

Leo people tend to dislike:

Criticism
Boredom / indifference
Taking instructions
Being second place

Where do these Leo traits come from?

One of the fascinating things about astrology is the patterns which exist. Leo personality traits certainly aren't random. They come from a combination of the signs ruling planet, element, polarity, house and quality. All of these are also used (consistently) elsewhere within astrology and come together to form the unique package which is the Leo personality.

Are the traits of every Leo the same?

No. The above traits exist if someone has a Leo sun sign. However every individual also has other planet placements (Moon, Mars, Venus etc) which modify this behavior. In some cases one or more of the basic personality traits listed above will be modified or even replaced. Only by examining all the planet placements for an individual can we get a complete picture of their unique personality. A skilled astrologer can often calculate these backwards from the ways that the basic sun sign behavior is being modified.

Leo traits - nurture versus nature

As children we are subjected to many experiences and influences. These can lead to a determined effort to modify our personality and behavior. The traits still exist, but they can be over ridden by free thought. It's fairly common for negative traits to gradually diminish as a person gets older, wiser and more socially adept.

Related Leo articles:

• How to seduce a Leo
• Leo man gifts and Leo woman gifts
• Who are Leo people generally most compatible with? Leo compatibility
• Read about Leo in love
• What to expect in a Leo relationship
• Leo astrological facts and details Leo profile
• My complete guides to Leo men and Leo women