031: We Don’t Know What We Don’t Know

This week’s fix comes from something very real and very normal when you’re growing.

A couple months back, we tried something new: a Black Friday sale across multiple gyms. On paper, it made sense. In reality, we learned quickly that we didn’t know what we didn’t know.

Different computer systems. Different markets. Different limitations.

And because the rules weren’t fully known yet, they also weren’t fully communicated.

The result? Frustration. Confusion. People feeling like they were out of the loop.

Before anything else, it’s important to say this clearly. To the teammates who felt the brunt of that bump, we’re sorry.

When things don’t land the way they should, the impact is real. Even when intentions are good, missed communication or unclear expectations can create stress for the people closest to the work. Owning that matters. And learning from it matters even more.

Here’s the bigger picture, though.

This is what growth actually looks like.

When you’re integrating systems, expanding locations, or trying something for the first time, you are actively discovering the rules, not enforcing ones that already exist. Learning is the work.

We often wish growth felt clean.

Clear processes. Perfect communication. No bumps.

But real growth is messier than that. It involves testing, missing things, adjusting, and sometimes realizing after the fact what should have been said upfront.

That doesn’t mean it was a mistake to try.

It means we were learning.

The only way rules become clear is by discovering where they break. The only way systems improve is by seeing where they don’t align. The only way leaders grow is by being willing to try before everything is perfect.

If you’re leading people, here’s the takeaway.

When rules aren’t clear yet, expect bumps. When you try something new, assume you’ll miss something. When it doesn’t go smoothly, apologize, adjust, and keep moving forward.

Growth isn’t proof that something is wrong.

Sometimes it’s proof that you’re finally doing something new. One fix at a time, - Casey  🎯Real Talk - You know that moment when you say, “How hard could this be?”

And the universe quietly replies, “Oh. You sweet, optimistic human.”

Yeah. That.

It looked simple. Push the button. Watch the magic happen.

Turns out, that button had other ideas.

Somewhere between “this will be easy” and “wait, why is this happening?” we found the gaps. The ones you don’t see until you’re standing in them.

That’s not failure. That’s the work.

So if you’ve ever thought, “Yep, nailed it,” right before realizing you didn’t, welcome.

[No spreadsheets were harmed in the making of this lesson. A few assumptions were, though. 😉]