What I meant was that you can guess the motivation by working backwards from the results.

If I come home at 3 AM it is not accident. I wanted to party hard and I did exactly that.

This is a useful simplification, like "Follow the money" or Occams Razor.

Somebody has probably coined up the principle and I picked it up from South Park or something :)

It might be around here somewhere: https://fs.blog/mental-models/

Something similar has been used in a Game of Thrones.

> Petyr 'Littlefinger' Baelish: Sometimes when I try to understand a person's motives, I play a little game. I assume the worst. Sometimes when I try to understand a person's motives, I play a little game. I assume the worst. ...

Thanks - I like it.