Witchcraft 101: How to Get to Know Yourself and Your Goals

[Updated September 2025]

When I first started walking the witch’s path, I was so eager to jump straight into spell jars, tarot spreads, and crystals that I almost skipped the most important step: getting to know myself.

Here’s the truth: your magic can only be as strong as the foundation you build it on. You can learn all the spells in the world, but if you don’t understand who you are, what you want, and why you’re here, your craft will feel shaky. That’s why self-knowledge is the very first lesson in Witchcraft 101.

Why Self-Knowledge Matters in Witchcraft

There’s an old phrase — “Know Thyself” — carved into the Temple of Apollo at Delphi. Even centuries later, it still applies. Witchcraft isn’t about copying someone else’s rituals or aesthetics. It’s about weaving your own energy, personality, and intentions into your magic.

Think of it this way: if your goal is transformation (and let’s be real, so much of witchcraft is about change), you have to know what you’re starting with. You can’t shift patterns you’ve never noticed. You can’t grow roots if you don’t know what soil you’re standing in.

Self-knowledge is where your magic starts, and it’s also where it returns to, again and again.

1️⃣ Recognize Your Strengths and Shadows

One of the most powerful things you can do as a witch is to be radically honest with yourself.

✨ Practical exercise:

• Light a candle, grab your journal, and write about the gifts you have and the challenges you face.

• Write down what you notice in four areas: mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual.

• Don’t sugarcoat it, but don’t tear yourself down either. Just be real.

Here’s an example from my own practice: I once realized that while I’m creative and intuitive (strengths), I also tend to procrastinate when something feels overwhelming (shadow). Neither list made me “good” or “bad”; they just gave me an indicator on the map to show where I’m starting.

If journaling feels too heavy, you can also explore personality tools for insight:

• Astrology birth chart (what cosmic blueprint do you carry?)

• Enneagram or Myers-Briggs (how do you process the world?)

• Pop culture archetypes (sometimes a playful lens makes it easier).

RELATED: What is a Sun Sign?

Even asking a trusted friend what they see in you can spark insight. Do this only if you’re ready to hear their honest reflections.

RESOURCES:

• Myers-Briggs personality type

• Four Temperaments

• Astrology Birth Chart

• Enneagram

Going Deeper into Who You Are

Once you’ve spent time exploring your strengths, shadows, goals, and motivations, the next step is figuring out how to weave those insights into your magical path. Your personality, skills, and environment naturally shape the kind of witch you’ll become.

Here are some prompts to explore in your journal:

• Skills – What are you naturally good at? (cooking, writing, gardening, building, etc.)

• Interests – What fascinates you? (nature, fantasy, science, technology, art, etc.)

• Values – What causes do you care about deeply? (social justice, environment, spirituality, human rights)

• Motivators – What drives you? (family, creativity, community, healing, independence)

• Personality – Are you calm, fiery, introspective, adventurous?

• Location – Do you live in a city apartment, coastal town, forest, or desert?

When you line up these layers, patterns begin to emerge. A gardener might feel drawn to green witchcraft. A storyteller may find magic in writing spells and charms. A city witch might lean into candles, sigils, and kitchen magic to bring intention into daily life.

This is where your practice starts to take shape, not as something borrowed, but as something born from who you are.

2️⃣ Define Your Goals

Once you know who you are, the next step is to clarify where you want to go. Magic is about movement and directing energy toward change. But to move, you need a direction.

✨ Visualization practice:

Close your eyes and imagine your life in:

• 6 months

• 5 years

• 20 years

What do you see? Are you living somewhere new? Building a career? Deepening relationships? Feeling spiritually rooted? Write it all down. Yes, even the wild daydreams.

Then, break it down:

• Short-term goals → what you can start today or this week.

• Medium-term goals → what will take practice and persistence.

• Long-term goals → the big visions that may take years to achieve.

For example, maybe your long-term goal is to become a healer in your community. Your medium-term goal might be learning herbalism. Your short-term goal? Plant three herbs on your windowsill this spring and discover their magical and medicinal properties.

3️⃣ Connect the Dots

Now comes the magic. Compare your self-knowledge list with your goals.

• Which strengths can you lean on to reach those goals?

• Which shadows might get in your way?

• How can your practice help balance or transform them?

For instance, if your shadow is self-doubt, and your goal is to feel confident leading rituals, your magic might include spells for courage, empowering affirmations, or working with crystals like tiger’s eye or carnelian.

This is where witchcraft becomes more than just “doing spells.” It’s about aligning your inner and outer worlds. This is a living example of the Principle of Correspondence (as within, so without).

✨ Want to go deeper? Download the free Witch’s Self-Discovery Workbook with journal prompts, exercises, and trackers to help you map your magical goals.

⬅️ Free Resource

The Witch’s Self-Discovery Workbook is your companion for the first steps on the witch’s path. Inside, you’ll find guided journal prompts, reflection exercises, and goal-setting tools to help you uncover who you are, what you want, and how your magic can support you.

When you join the Blog Rewards Program, you’ll unlock this resource and others that go hand-in-hand with my blog posts. It’s my way of saying thank you for being part of this witchy community.

Tips for Nurturing Your Dreams

• Surround yourself with encouragers. Limit time with people who drain you, and set firm boundaries when needed.
  RELATED: Overcoming the Opinions of Nay-Sayers

• Hold yourself accountable. Speak your dreams aloud. Share them with a friend or your journal so they’re not just floating ideas.
  RELATED: The Three R's - Responsibility (Part 2)

• Break it down. Every big vision starts with one small action. Take the first step, then the next, then the next.
  RELATED: Believing Without Seeing

• Celebrate often. Gratitude is a spell all its own. Recognize where you started and notice how far you’ve already come.
  RELATED: The Importance of Gratitude

A Note on Control

You don’t have to know exactly where your life is going. As Lewis Carroll reminds us through the Cheshire Cat, if you don’t care where you end up, any road will take you there. But most people come to witchcraft because they want to co-create with the universe. This is done by stepping into your power and shaping your life intentionally.

So, ask yourself: Why do I want to become a witch? What am I seeking?

Your answers may change as you grow. And that’s okay! Your path is meant to evolve. That’s why we keep track of the journey.

Final Thoughts

Getting to know yourself and setting goals isn’t just “prep work.” It’s magic in action. Every journal entry, every reflection, every intention is a spell that shapes your path.

So start where you are. Be honest. Dream boldly. And remember: the most powerful tool in your craft isn’t your crystals, candles, or cards. It’s you and the way you decide to use these tools and materials.

✨ Next up in Witchcraft 101: What is a Witch? And What Kind Are You?

And don’t forget to sign up for the Blog Rewards Program to download the free Witch’s Self-Discovery Workbook with journal prompts, exercises, and trackers to help you map your magical goals.

Please share what you learned about yourself in a comment below.