One of the hardest lessons in life is accepting that you will never have all the information. Whether it’s business, competition, or relationships, you’ll often find yourself working with incomplete data, forced to make decisions based on what’s available.

Recently, I found myself in a situation where the numbers didn’t add up. The feedback from judges was negative, yet somehow, we still won. When I tried to understand why, I was met with evasion and vague answers. I don’t have conclusive proof of foul play—but I do have enough signals to know that something isn’t right.

In moments like these, you have to trust what you do know. Truth rarely presents itself in a neat package. People lie. Systems fail. Bias creeps in. But patterns of behavior—evasiveness, inconsistencies, subtle tells—can be just as revealing as hard evidence.

When you’re dealing with uncertainty, your options are:
🔹 Keep digging, if you believe more information will change the outcome.
🔹 Ignore the red flags, but accept the risk that comes with doing so.
🔹 Recognize the patterns, trust your instincts, and move on.

I’ve made my choice. If something doesn’t feel right, and the explanations don’t hold up, I won’t waste time chasing ghosts. I’ll move forward, apply the lesson, and focus my energy on places where integrity matters.

You won’t always get the full story—but you will get signals. Learn to read them.