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Human beings sustain life by acting on their desires. Yet to act on every desire is sometimes to court disaster, as illustrated by vivid examples ranging from the biblical story of Adam and Eve to the perennial scandals of politicians and other news-makers. Social norms, morals, and the contingencies of physi-cal health dictate that many desires should be resisted: For example, Schroeder (2007) estimated that 40 % of deaths in Western societies are caused by the long-term consequences of acting on desires for such substances as tobacco, sex, alcohol, recreational drugs, and unhealthy food. Although motivation is the basic driving force underlying all animal behavior, humans have evolved an advanced and sensi-tive capacity to restrain and override motivations (Baumeister, 2005; Mischel, Cantor, & Feldman, 1996). Self-regulation is important for both theoretical and practical reasons. However