Research on goals has employed a variety of approaches (Bargh, Gollwitzer, & Oettingen, 2010 ). Some approaches focus on the determinants of goal content and goal structure (e.g., the determinants of setting specifi c, challenging goals), whereas others investigate the consequences that the adoption of goals with certain content or structure has for goal striving and goal attainment. Still other approaches investigate which contextual variables affect the selection of certain types of goals and their subsequent implementation (e.g., affective states, competing action tendencies, power positions). More recent research analyzes how people promote goal pursuit by engaging in self-regulation strategies. Here, goal pursuit is said to consist of two different subsequent tasks (Oettingen & Gollwitzer, 2001): fi rst, fi rmly committing to certain goals, and second, effectively implementing them. For each of these tasks, different self-regulation strategies have been found to be effective. Mental contrasting of a desired future with obstacles of present reality (Oettingen, 2000 , 2012; Oettingen, Pak, & Schnetter, 2001 ) was identifi ed as an effective self-regulation strategy for wisely pursuing goals, that is, committing and actively striving for goals. We defi ne wise goal pursuit as strong commitment to and striving for goals that are perceived as feasible (high expectations of success) and abstinence or disengagement from goals that are perceived as unfeasible (low expectations of success; Oettingen, 2012 ). Forming implementation intentions (Gollwitzer, 1999 ; Gollwitzer & Sheeran, 2006 ) has turned out to be a self-regulation strategy of effective goal attainment as it helps planning out in advance the various challenges that arise during goal pursuit.