The principle is the basis of the reward/value and the reward/value is the basis of the principle. They're so intertwined, they can't be separated. The fact tha

The principle is the basis of the reward/value and the reward/value is the basis of the principle. They're so intertwined, they can't be separated. The fact that one can always conceive a theoretical "more valuable thing" is trivially true, but does not seem practically meaningful. The idea of a principle here is that the perceived value of sticking to it, or the perceived negative value of abandoning it, is so large that realistically the counterparty will not be able to offer anything that will surpass it.