Are you a 5, a 9 or maybe a 33? What’s your Life Path number and what does it say about you? In numerology, the answers are in the numbers. Through numbers, we can break down the patterns of the universe and uncover important information and key parts of your cosmic plan. Numerology can also give you the ability to recognize specific obstacles on your path in order to overcome them, enabling you to evolve as a person and a soul.

Your Life Path number is arguably the most significant in numerological terms, as it is a road map to your future—why you’re here, what you excel in, and how to use your talents to fulfill your destiny. It also tells you what you’re here to specifically learn in your lifetime: your strong points and even your weak points, which are very important to your soul’s evolution. If you want to get to know and understand yourself more deeply and find answers to big questions like why you’re here and what you’re meant to do in this lifetime, the answers can be revealed through numerology and your Life Path number.

The Life Path Numbers Explained

Life Path numbers run from 1 through 9. There are also Master Life Path numbers 11, 22 and 33, but unless you’re one of these three numbers, you’ll always reduce your numerical calculation to the lowest possible singular digit. So if you’re a “10,” then you would reduce to a “1” Life Path number (1 + 0 = 1).

Numerology calculations are very literal. In other words, if you come up with a 12, in order to reduce that to a single digit you would add 1 + 2 and your number would be 3. If come up with a 14, you would add 1 + 4 to equal 5, and so on.

Below you’ll find the formula to calculate your Life Path number. First, write down your birthday as shown in the example, again, reducing any double-digit number (with the exception of 11, 22 and 33) to its lowest possible single digit in the final calculation and find your Life Path number. Then read the corresponding explanation.

Calculating Your Life Path Number

Example Birth date: December 24, 1987 or 12/24/1987

December is the 12th month of the year, so you would begin using number 12. November or 11 still gets reduced 1 + 1 = 2 (Master numbers 11, 22, and 33 are used only in the final calculation.)

1. Each number—month, day, year—gets reduced to its lowest individual digit.

December 24, 1987 or 12/24/1987
Month: (12) 1 + 2 = 3
Day: (24) 2 + 4 = 6
Year: 1 + 9 + 8 + 7 = (25) … 2 + 5 = 7

2. Now add those numbers together and reduce that answer to the lowest singular digit:

3 + 6 + 7 = (16)
Then: 1 + 6 = 7
Your Life Path Number is 7

What Your Life Path Number Means

Life Path 1 — Independent
You are a hard worker and born leader who would do best being your own boss. You overcome obstacles easier than others. There’s something unique and special about you that keeps you driven and doesn’t allow you to give up on something if you’re sure it’s worth the effort. You have a pioneering spirit and prefer to live and work without restrictions. People are drawn to your strong leadership abilities that you have developed over time. No one starts as a leader, so a Life Path 1 must also possess maturity and a sense of humility.

Life Path 2 — Partnerships
You see the best in everyone. You are loyal, honest, sensitive and sincere, and you make an excellent mediator. You’re a visionary with the ability to analyze almost any situation and bring it to an amicable resolution. You also have an affinity for music and a knack for creating a healing environment, which is why working in the healing arts, such as massage or physical therapy, could also be for you. On the flip side you can become indecisive or even pessimistic. But you expect a lot from yourself, and you can quickly turn any negative emotion into a positive experience.

Life Path 3 — Creative
Many threes are writers, actors or artists. Your optimistic nature often lifts others up. You live in the moment. You can be a force of nature that uses their talents to inspire others in numbers big and small. You can also be very sensitive so it’s important not to put too much emphasis on any negative comments you may receive. If you do, you’ll hide yourself away for a time. This time may also be when you realize your next greatest project—there’s always an upside.

Life Path 4 — Organized
You like to build things from the bottom up. You’re an earthy soul who never shies away from hard work. Those you love would say that you’re reliable and responsible, and while you work well with others there is also a slight tendency towards bossiness. You’d do well to remember that not everyone has your sense of discipline or tendency towards tenacity; a less rigid approach may be needed. You can excel in careers in management, law, banking, construction and even agriculture and science.

Life Path 5 — Adventurous
You can’t seem to sit still. Your energy is magnetic and persuasive, and you enjoy your freedom. With your gift for speaking and expressing yourself as well as your ability to motivate others, you’d do really well in sales, promotions or even as a life coach or motivational speaker. You truly have the ability to do anything you set out to do, but it must first be exhilarating and second, utilize your gift of gab. You do best in life when you work on being more disciplined and less impulsive.

Life Path 6 — Compassionate
You have a warm, loving disposition. You love nurturing others. Your favorite things are family and home. People often admire you; they find your kindness, as well as your other positive traits, attractive. You have an ability to ground others going through trying situations, so nursing is a vocational option or even counseling, as long as you allow people to learn their own lessons. You also have many creative talents in the areas of art, music, healing, as well as working with animals.

Life Path 7 — Thinker
You don’t mind being alone. You have a deep spiritual side. You are intuitive and have a broad view of life and beyond. When it comes to socializing, you can be the life of the party and you may even come forward and sing a song or perform a magic trick. When it comes to work, however, you like a more solitary environment. The challenge of a Life Path 7 is to maintain and enjoy your independence without also cutting off the outside world. Working in the fields of science, religion or anything that requires research should give you that balance.

Life Path 8 — Visionary
You are often focused on security. You’re ambitious and good in business, and have a good grasp of how things work in the material world. Therefore, acquiring wealth is not unusual for a Life Path 8. In fact, of all the Life Paths, the 8 attracts financial success more than any other. You never have trouble getting people excited about your visions for greatness and expansion, but you’re also convinced that they don’t see things quite the way you do, so you need to promote and encourage from beginning to end. Publishing, real estate, managing a financial firm are all things you could involve yourself in, as long as you can expand it in some way. Sports, journalism and even politics are also possibilities.

Life Path 9 — Humanitarian
You like helping others. You have a compassionate spirit. Like Life Path 1, you are also a born leader. You are socially conscious and also a dreamer who wants peace for not just your piece of the world, but the whole world at large. Clearly your desire for justice and fairness for all could lead you to becoming a lawyer, or judge, or even a healer or environmentalist. Money made for the sake of wealth alone will leave you feeling unfulfilled. As a giver, using personal wealth and personal time in an effort to better the lives of others, brings both spiritual and monetary success.

Life Path 11 — Master Intuitive
You are highly sensitive and intuitive. You also connect with those in the spiritual realm quite easily. You could be a healer, a masseuse, energy therapist, or counselor; once you’ve found your specific gift, you should use it to help others. You are related to Life Path 2 (partnerships), representing your connection between the spiritual world and the world of Earthly, material reality. You were born with a specific role to play in life and your challenge is to find exactly what that is. Avoid self-doubt in order to realize your gifts and fulfill your life’s path.

Life Path 22 — Master Builder
You are arguably the most powerful Master number. You are very spiritual and compelled to help others succeed. You are related to Life Path 4 (builder), but with double the magnitude. Your thoughts have the power to manifest in reality. The saying, “Be careful what you wish for,” is a literal statement for a Life Path 22. The dreams you want to realize take time and maturity as it is through living life that you find your true calling. Your challenge is to share your gift of vision with others, but then to let people use that knowledge to build their own dreams—with your influence and not your control. Learn to become more flexible in order to better align with the flow of life.

Life Path 33 — Master Teacher
You are the rarest of the Master numbers. You may become a spiritual leader and teacher. You have unending energy (the combination of the 11 and 22 Master numbers). You are also related to Life Path 6 (compassionate), and your core is that of a humanitarian. Personal ambition is not a factor, other than the ambition to focus on uplifting the energetic frequency of mankind. It is possible that you enjoy cooking and find it a good way to relax after spending time on your lofty ambition of raising the consciousness of the Earth’s inhabitants. You’re unique, rare and your gift should not be wasted.