And Three Simple Ways to Find it

When most people decide to learn tarot, they think the hardest part will be remembering the meanings of all those cards – all seventy-eight of them. But the real challenge isn’t the cards at all – it’s confidence.

So many beginners hesitate to read because they believe they need to ‘know more’ first – one more book, one more course, one more month of study before they dare touch their deck. But here’s the truth: you’ll never wake up one morning suddenly feeling ready.
Confidence doesn’t come before you start. It comes because you start. I know, because I started out as possibly the most bashful, nervous and apologetic tarot-reader you ever met!

Three powerful truths transformed the way I approached tarot – and they can help you, too. And three simple exercises can help you build real, lasting confidence in your readings.

Truth 1.  Mastery is a Myth: You’ll Never Know It All – and That’s Really Freeing

Here’s the wonderful, liberating secret every experienced tarot reader eventually discovers: you will never, ever know it all.

Tarot is a living language of symbols — and like any language, it evolves with you. A card you once saw as signalling disaster may now signify freedom when you see it. What matters isn’t memorising every meaning so much as developing a relationship with the cards.

When you stop chasing ‘mastery,’ you make space for curiosity. You become a co-creator in the reading, not a student trying to get a good grade. And that’s where real confidence begins.

Exercise: The One-Card Conversation

Yes, each card has a certain meaning – but the best way to learn what it is, is to compare it to your actual lived experience. Start by using just the Major Arcana cards for this exercise:

• Draw a single tarot card each morning.
• Instead of looking up its meaning, ask: “What might this card be saying to me today?”
• Write a few intuitive notes and observe what happens during the day.

In the evening, you can look up the official meaning – how does it fit what you experienced and observed during the day? You’ll start noticing that the cards reflect your day in surprising ways. That’s the point: you’re building trust, not just testing your knowledge.

Truth 2. You Have to Start Before You’re Ready: Why Imperfect Practice Builds Real Skill Rapidly

Most people hold back because they think they’ll ‘mess it up’. But perfectionism is the enemy of progress — and it’s one of the biggest barriers for anyone learning tarot.

The surprising thing is that tarot isn’t always about getting it right; it’s about getting it real. Each time you practice, however awkwardly, you strengthen your intuitive muscle and your confidence in yourself. Every reading, even one that feels awkward, gives you feedback that makes the next one clearer.

The most confident readers aren’t the ones who waited until they knew everything — they’re the ones who kept going when they didn’t.

Exercise: The Imperfect Reading Challenge

• Pretend you’re an expert tarot reader. Choose three cards and do a short reading for a willing friend.
• Speak your impressions aloud, even if you’re unsure.
• Afterward, note what felt true, what was true, what surprised you, and what didn’t make sense (yet).

Repeat this once a week for a month. You’ll find that knowledge and confidence grows not from accuracy, but from experience.

Truth 3. Confidence Comes Through Connection: How Reading for Others Deepens Your Understanding

Tarot is meant to be shared. Reading for others helps you see how the cards speak differently depending on the person, question, and energy in front of you. It turns theory into empathy and teaches you that your role is not to be right — it’s to be present.

When you read for someone else, you realise how much you already know. Their reactions, insights, and emotions show you that your words land — and that’s where true confidence takes root.

Exercise: The Confidence Exchange

• Find a fellow tarot student, a willing friend, or even find an online tarot buddy.
• Exchange short three-card readings, focusing on one question each.
• Afterward, share what worked – what resonated most. You’ll both learn how your interpretations connect with real people — and how much your intuition can already do.

Your Confidence Is Already Out There Waiting for You

Confidence in anything doesn’t happen overnight, and it rarely come from books alone. It comes from relationships – with the cards, with your own intuition, and with others.

Every time you shuffle, draw, and trust your impressions, you strengthen that bond. And you begin to realise that tarot isn’t about being perfect — it’s about being open.

So, start now. Draw a card today. Say what you see. And listen to what it whispers back.

You’ll be amazed how quickly confidence will follow your courage.