Almost everyone knows its own zodiac sign. And also the characteristics that belong to your sign is also well known by most of us. But people with the same sign are not like twins. There are many aspects that have their influence on someones nature. For example the social environment where you grow up, your education, your family (do you have brothers and sisters or are you the only child of your parents?)
Also the influence of the planets is essential. What is your rising sign at the moment of birth? What is the influence of the moon? I am not an expert in zodiac signs, but there are many books about this subject and I have found a good website where you will find a lot of information Paul Wade astrologer
But it is a bit naive to think that all Cancers are hypersensitive or that everyone with Aries is a Braveheart on a white horse rescuing princesses from evil dragons (sometimes Aries is so eager to save her that he runs over his subject of love!) Your sign only represents what your chances in life are. It is just like a little acorn. That can grow to a mighty oak if it has enough food and oxygen. But it can also be eaten by a squirrel. And that also goes for the signs of the zodiac. What kind of opportunities do you get and how do you cope with them? People are lucky, they have their own free will. They don't have to wait and see what happens like that little acorn.
Besides matters like planets we also have to deal with the elements that belong to a sign. Is it earth, fire water or air? I have made a list with the signs, the elements, the characteristics and the planets. As you can see there are four elements. Signs with fire are driven, passionate and outrageous. Signs with earth are the no nonsense types, stabile people with a practic perception. Signs with air are the rational types, they are good in communication. Water is sense, signs with water are the people who can feel much empathy for others. Of course you need more information to explain your sign. Are you a cardinal sign, fixed or mutable?
All signs have positive and negative characteristics. Fire can give brightness, The passion of fire can warm your heart, but it can also give you a burnout. Water can give healing, it is relieving when you notice that someone understands you at last! But you can also drown in it! Earth might be cool to work with, but it is also stubborn, not openminded enough to see other visions. The element air is good to communicate, but it also has a certain distancy, that sometimes feels uncomfortable.