Daniel Goleman, the writer who boosted the popularity of Emotional Intelligence, writes about Self Management.  I see this concept in Stephen Covey’s The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People – Habit 1: Be Proactive.

Viktor E. Frankl also explained this theory in his book, Man’s Search for Meaning: An Introduction to Logotherapy. Frankl said that we have the ability to choose. Not only that, we can choose our conscious behaviors in any situation.

Daniel Goleman calls it “Self Regulation.” Stephen Covey calls it “Be Proactive” describes the choices we have between stimulus and response. Call it whatever makes sense to you.

It’s exerting control over yourself as you develop your own Self awareness. Self-management enables you to respond with your higher self. It can supersede the automatic reactions that we use for self-preservation. Self-management is using the choice we have over our own actions.

I see this in The Magician, Major Arcana Card II of the Rider Waite deck. He has everything he needs. He is signaling with his gestures, “As above, so below.” His tools are in front of him.  This could be interpreted as mind over matter. Will he use his choices?

I also see this concept in various minor arcana cards. We exert choices in our daily lives. For example, notice the V of Cups, the VI of Swords and the VI of Pentacles. It appears that each of the characters is making some kind of choice.