self-talk

noun

ˌself-ˈtȯk 

: talk or thoughts directed at oneself

As we push through the pain during a race, it's natural to talk to ourselves. It's also natural to have an unpleasant conversation. Studies show that both negative and positive self-talk influence performance—you can guess which works best.

—Bicycling

… let's say a student said, "I'm having trouble learning these new techniques." The first thing I would do is probe into his self-talk. He's probably thinking, "I shouldn't be having so much trouble."

—Thomas J. Nardi

Neil Fiore, a motivational speaker … says the road to timely tax filing can be reached with a little positive self-talk.

—Kris Frieswick

Examples of self-talk in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

At its core, impostor syndrome thrives on negative self-talk. —Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025

For example, in Cope’s last marathon, her goal was to squash the negative self-talk that plagued her in past races. —Elisabeth Kwak-Hefferan, Outside Online, 11 Apr. 2025

That’s no surprise to researchers, who have found motivational quotes, mantras and positive self-talk help people in myriad ways. —Melanie Radzicki McManus, CNN Money, 10 Apr. 2025

Additionally, even your self-talk is part of your mental environment. —Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1737, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for self-talk

• alcock
• beanstalk
• bedrock
• boardwalk
• catwalk
• cornstalk
• crosswalk
• deadlock
• feedstock
• fetlock
• flintlock
• goshawk