Principlev1
Use counterfactual comparison—'what would be different if I
Use counterfactual comparison—'what would be different if I had spent my best hours on my top priority?'—to detect misalignment before subjective productivity signals mask structural misdirection.
Why This Is a Principle
Derives from axioms about unreliable self-assessment (Illusion of Explanatory Depth), automatic observation-interpretation fusion (Automatic Fusion of Observation and Interpretation), and systematic overconfidence (Systematic Overconfidence Taxonomy). The principle prescribes a specific detection mechanism that bypasses these biases by examining counterfactuals rather than subjective experience.