Audit your STARS to uncover hidden advantages you can actually use

Most people underestimate their advantages because they only count the obvious ones. A skill you learned two jobs ago, a technology you tinkered with at a hackathon, a mentor who trusts you, or a reputation for calm under pressure—all of these are resources. When you sort them into Skills, Technologies, Assets, Relationships, and Strengths, your inventory fills quickly. Seeing it on one page boosts confidence and sparks ideas.

The trick is connecting these resources to needs. Imagine you’re drawn to home energy monitoring. Your skills include data analysis and clear writing, your technologies include low‑cost sensors, your assets include a blog and a garage workspace, your relationships include a local electrician, and your strengths include persistence and empathy. That’s not random trivia, it’s an advantage stack tailor‑made for a niche like “help homeowners cut energy bills by 20%.”

Next, look for gaps that you can close fast. Maybe you lack a mobile app skill. You could learn the basics through a short course, hire a contractor for a sprint, or partner with a builder who wants to learn energy tech. The point isn’t to be perfect, it’s to be different in a way that matters to your chosen customer.

Psychology research shows that confidence grows when people act from their strengths and see progress. Strategically, you’ll win more often when your resources fit the need like puzzle pieces. A STARS audit turns vague self‑belief into a practical playbook: here’s what I have, here’s where it shines, and here’s how I’ll fill the rest.

List your Skills, Technologies, Assets, Relationships, and Strengths and aim for six in each. Highlight what’s both rare and useful for the needs you care about, then map those items to three or four specific needs to see the strongest fits. Pick two gaps you can close in 30 days with a course, a contractor, or a partner. If a cofounder would multiply your strengths, start the search now.