Forethought Phase The forethought phase is subdivided into the categories of task analysis and self-motivational beliefs. Task analysis includes the self-regulatory processes of goal setting and strategic planning. When setting goals, self-regulated learners do not just specify one or more long-term goals, especially those that take time to achieve. Instead, for each long-term goal, they establish a series of near-term subgoals that are achievable and provide evidence of progress. For example, to accomplish the long-term goal of achieving a grade of A in physics, a self-regulating student will set subgoals that pertain to number of hours spent per week studying, working sample problems at the end of the textbook chapter, doing homework as accurately as possible, and seeking help when problems arise. As we point out later in this chapter, planning is a necessary self-regulatory skill because the circumstances under which one learns are constantly changing. Thus self-regulated learners constantly assess themselves and the nature and demands of a learning task so they can select those methods that are most likely to lead to goal attainment.