Three of Wands
The "Three of Wands" is a positive card, where one can almost feel the building excitement and quiet pleasure of the gentleman literally witnessing his "ships coming in." It's a card that demonstrates the joy of watching healthy fruit grow due to one's labor; the just reward for careful planning and hard work. In some ways, the Three of Wands could represent the pot at the end of the rainbow, but that would only be part of the story, for the man doesn't expect to get something for nothing. He knows well that for good things to come to those who wait, one needs to be pro-active and do one's part, whatever that may be and in whatever capacity one resides.
As Robin mentioned in her book, the man is dressed "richly," and therefore has had more than a taste of success in his life. He knows, however, that he can't just ride the waves of his past good fortune...he must continue to be a diligent worker, carefully tending whatever it is he works toward, in order to maintain positive results. He can't simply be an armchair quarterback...he has to be active on the field, always thinking ahead to the next play.
Even if the figure is the head of a business or organization, this gent is no fool to think he alone is responsible for his success. In it's upright position, the man (or woman, for as a reader, I'm never tied into the gender drawn on any card) knows he's but part of a bigger picture, where it's important to demonstrate integrity and fairness in all his business dealings. But if the card is reversed, he may, indeed, be full of himself and not regarded highly by those who come in contact with him. In fact, if reversed, I may suspect (depending on the question, the querent, and who the card may represent) unfair business practices or shady/dangerous operations (ie. drug smuggling, illegal trafficking, etc). Or, if reversed, perhaps what one worked for, even if all on-the-level and done with good intentions, won't reap...at least for now...what one expected.
On rereading Robin's book, it was enlightening for me to see she meant for the three wands to represent past, present and future. Robin wrote, "The rod of the past is clear, because you can see clearly what is in your past." She included a waning moon on the "past" wand to show that, "This is over and waning."
The wand behind the man is present and is "...solid silver, because it's frequently difficult to figure out what is really going on while it's happening." The "present" want has a pink crystal at the top, "because the present looks rosy." Robin drew a full moon on the "present" wand because, "...these are things that are currently in their fullness."
The wand depicting the future is also silver, "...with an indigo blue stone, because the future is unknown, except through the psychic senses." On the "future" wand is a new moon, "because these are the influences that are waxing, or just beginning to come to pass."
Speaking for myself, I'm glad I reread the passages on the wands themselves in Robin's book, as I've never quite seen the important moon symbols on each wand in a reading...they're small and easy to miss!