Not really semantics as I see it. You are overlooking the actual words to attribute a different meaning to the speaker.  You may be right, but I've seen people on quests to "not find" something, and given that everyone wants to have success, it CAN influence behavior. That kind of search can subconsciously be a very different quest from being rewarded for finding something. 

I'm simply taking a common human desire for success or a good outcome and tying that directly to the words to determine meaning. Maybe those were just sloppy words, but sloppy words often reveal sloppy thinking which causes sloppy behavior.