It’s no surprise that one of the most influential voices in your life is your own, but are you taking advantage of that? I’m not just talking about the little voice in your head. According to research, talking to yourself out loud can be a powerful tool to help you achieve more and rebound from disappointments faster.
RESEARCH SHOWS POSITIVE SELF-TALK IMPROVES PERFORMANCE.
Studies on competitive athletes found that positive self-talk like, “You can do this!” actually improved performance. The same is true for performance studies on other high-pressure situations, such as interviews. According to Cleveland Clinic Health Psychologist Grace Tworek, PsyD., using positive messages in your self-talk can “decrease anxiety, boost self-esteem and increase productivity.” Think about that next time you are facing a major challenge at work.
WHAT ABOUT NEGATIVE SELF-TALK?
Researchers have found that even when you are feeling negative, how you phrase your criticism makes a difference in whether you improve performance. When you tell your brain “I can’t” do something, it believes you. When you say, “I don’t” do something, you focus on how to improve. Strikes me that this applies to when we talk to other team members as well.
TALK TO YOURSELF IN THE THIRD PERSON AND IN PRIVATE.
Turns out when we talk to ourselves in the third person our brains receive it differently. It has the same impact as when a coach or friend encourages us. One more tip that is especially important if you are working in the office: talk to yourself out loud in private… otherwise, the uninformed may think you are losing it.
WHAT DO YOU TELL YOURSELF WHEN YOU NEED A BOOST?