The Chariot Isn't Telling You to Push Harder

Firstly, sorry I have been silent for the last few weeks on this publication. But I am back at it and let’s discuss The Chariot tarot card today. The Chariot is one of those tarot cards that people love to see. It is about:

• Victory

• Determination

• Willpower

• Forward movement

• Take control

• Push through

• You’ve got this

It’s like someone cheering you on with motivational quotes, and honestly, sometimes that’s exactly what we need.

But there’s another side to The Chariot that doesn’t get enough attention. Sometimes, forcing yourself to keep going isn’t a sign of strength; it might just be stubbornness.

From a young age, we’re programmed to think that quitting is a no-go.

“Winners don’t quit.”

“Successful people keep grinding.”

“If you want something, work harder for it.”

“Push through the pain.”

“Don’t give up.”

While there’s definitely value in sticking with it as many good things take time and effort, this obsession can get a bit scary. We’ve turned perseverance into some kind of moral badge of honor, but sometimes quitting is actually the right call.

This might be a hard pill to swallow: you can give it your all and still not get where you want to be.

• You can bust your butt at work and still see your business crash.

• You can pour your heart into a relationship and watch it fall apart.

• You can follow all the advice and still not hit your goals.

• You can fight for something that’s just out of your control.

This isn’t negativity; it’s just the way things are. Hard work can affect outcomes, but it doesn’t guarantee success.

Think about The Chariot’s imagery. The charioteer isn’t just racing forward; he’s also guiding opposing forces. This matters because determination without direction can wear you out.

You can end up sprinting in the wrong direction for years, pouring effort into something that hasn’t worked in ages. The longer you stick with it, the harder it feels to stop, making you keep pushing—not because it’s working, but simply because you’ve invested so much time.

Our culture loves endurance. How is that? Here is how it is:

• We admire the employee who’s clocking in sixty-hour weeks.

• We respect the caregiver who never asks for a hand.

• We look up to the person who stays stuck in a tough spot for ages.

• We cheer on the entrepreneur who sacrifices everything for their dream.

We see these folks and think, “Wow, you’re so strong.” But just enduring doesn’t mean a situation is healthy. Sometimes it shows commitment, while other times, it just means being stuck. Those aren’t the same thing.

Walking away from something often gets trickier the longer you’ve been in it. You put in time, cash, energy, reputation, and sometimes even part of who you are. So, you think, “I can’t back out now. Look at all I’ve already done.”

But that past investment is history. The real question is what pushing forward will cost you, which is a whole different calculation. The Chariot challenges you to think about whether you’re steering the journey or if it’s controlling you.

When you’ve faced tough situations, just pushing through can become second nature. You learn to tackle today, get through tomorrow, and deal with the next crisis. You keep functioning, fixing problems, and keeping everyone else afloat. As a result, you might get really good at enduring challenges—perhaps too good.

The ability to survive almost anything can make it hard to see when it’s time to stop.

This belief can be a trap for those who are naturally strong. “I can handle it.” Sure, you can probably take on an impossible workload, a toxic relationship, or the burden of everyone relying on you.

But here’s the key question that The Chariot nudges us to think about: Why should you have to?

Just because you can manage something doesn’t mean you should.

This idea is at the heart of my book, Survival Isn’t Victory. We tend to celebrate people for just making it through. For hanging in there and for somehow pushing through tough times that would break most of us.

But just surviving doesn’t mean things are okay. Sometimes, the skills that got us through become the very things that hold us back from making a change in our lives.

Like:

• Sticking it out no matter what

• Putting others first all the time

• Being super independent

• Putting up with way too much

At some point, survival needs to become more than just getting by.

This is how I see The Chariot—it really resonates with me. Victory doesn’t always mean hitting a specific goal. Sometimes, it’s about realizing you want to go in a different direction altogether. This could mean:

• Switching careers

• Shutting down a business

• Ending a friendship

• Changing your beliefs

• Letting go of a goal that no longer fits

It’s about saying, “This just isn’t working anymore.” That’s not failure; that’s just learning.

It doesn’t promise endless hustle, or push for blind determination. Also, it does not say that willpower solves everything. Instead, it gives you:

• Direction

• Control

• Discipline

• Good judgment

• The ability to switch things up

Being in the driver’s seat doesn’t mean pushing yourself ahead no matter what. Sometimes, it means knowing when it’s time to change lanes.

The Chariot isn’t just asking, “How badly do you want this?” It’s also asking, “What is sticking with this costing you?” There are definitely things worth fighting for.

There are things we can endure. And there are things we keep pushing for just because no one told us we could give up. You don’t always need more determination. Sometimes, you just need a new goal.

If you want to dive into topics beyond the usual tarot discussions—like survival, resilience, self-identity, and the messy areas in our stories—I dig into all that on my podcast, The Grey Area Unfiltered, with new episodes every Tuesday at 12 PM ET.

These themes are central to my upcoming book, Survival Isn’t Victory. Because sometimes, just making it through shows how strong you are. And at times, true strength is realizing you’ve endured enough.