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

Your intense focus can turn initial success into lasting momentum, while positive self-talk prevents burnout if any snags slow the pace. —Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 17 Apr. 2026

The important thing to remember is that our inner voice, and the ability to harness it through self-talk is an important tool of the human mind that aides us in a variety of ways. —Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 14 Apr. 2026

Positive self-talk is highly correlated with things like confidence, self-esteem, and feelings of competence. —Joy Harden Bradford, AJC.com, 2 Apr. 2026

And no matter what anyone does to look younger, Miller wants women to stop with the negative self-talk about aging that’s often couched in seemingly harmless jokes. —Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 23 Mar. 2026

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