Self-Talk
Hi,
This week’s email is about how we talk to ourselves and why it matters.
The information here comes from a research article on the topic (open-access PDF).
Here are the key practical points you should know:
Self-talk—as its name suggests—involves making statements to ourselves, either internally or aloud; it stands out as an act of communication because we’re both the sender and the recipient of our message.
Positive self-talk involves encouraging statements (e.g., “I can do it”), whereas negative self-talk involves statements that reflect emotions like frustration or anger (e.g., “you need to get your head in the game”).
Both positive and negative self-talk can sometimes be beneficial, as in cases where they motivate us to take action.
Both positive/negative self-talk can sometimes also be harmful, as in cases where they mainly distract us from what we should be doing.
Self-talk can also be categorized based on additional criteria, such as whether it’s instructional (e.g., “I need to change my approach”), calming (e.g., “relax”), or appreciative (e.g., “this is fun”).
From a practical perspective, it’s worth considering your own self-talk, and changing it when you think it could help. For example, if you realize that your self-talk is so harshly critical that it demotivates you, then you can try to make it more compassionate.
As always, I'm happy to hear your thoughts.
Have a great week,
Itamar