Goal motives and mental contrasting with implementation intentions facilitate strategic goal persistence and disengagement

In three experiments, we examine the role of motives underlying goal pursuit and metacognitive strategy mental contrasting with implementation intentions (MCII) to predict strategic use self-regulation responses (persistence, disengagement, reengagement) when faced attainable, unattainable, or multiple goals. We trained half participants MCII treated rest as control. Experiment 1 (N = 261) underscored autonomous motivation in nurturing adaptive cognitive appraisals coping mechanisms, which facilitated persistence progress a difficult but attainable goal. contrast, controlled undermined striving by predicting threat giving up coping. training ameliorated negative impact on reducing appraisals. 2 391), manipulated task make initial unattainable. Strategic (disengagement from unattainable followed reengagement an alternative goal) was motives, culminated increases positive affect. 3 432), extended these findings multiple-goal setting. The research further develops literatures self-determination, while having implications for life domains where individuals pursue and/or