Abstract: We study how individuals sustain optimism about their self-control ability through two channels: intentionally working harder and selectively forgetting past failures. In a field experiment with university students, we conduct two rounds of self-control tasks. We manipulate memory accuracy across treatments by selectively sending first-round performance reminders before the second round. We find that pre-announced reminders significantly increase first-round effort relative to sudden ex-post reminders and no reminders, thereby boosting confidence and willingness to participate in the second-round task. In the absence of reminders, students exhibit optimistic memory biases that also increase confidence and second-round participation, but to a lesser extent. We develop an intra-personal model in which a present-biased agent perseveres to signal self-control to future selves, driven by either self-regulation or self-image concerns. Our experimental findings support self-regulation as the driver of this motivated perseverance.

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