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What we believe to be the motives of our conduct are usually but the pretexts for it.

Every action needs to be prompted by a motive.

Motives reveal why we do what we do, which is actually more important to God than what we're doing.

I want my books to explore motives which make people think, 'Wow! Imagine the psychological state you'd have to be in for that to be your motive!' Whereas things like blackmail, jealousy - they're rational reasons for committing murder.

The very essence of instinct is that it's followed independently of reason.

What makes life dreary is the want of a motive.

There's no way to know the motives of another person totally, even a person that you know very well.

It's the millenium, motives are incidental.

People instinctively know the difference between something done with a profit motive and something done with a love motive.

Actions are visible, though motives are secret.