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

This lines up with earlier work showing that constructive self-talk is linked to higher creativity, stronger leadership ratings from peers and subordinates and lower job strain. —Heather Yerrid, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026

Your focus goes to your body language and self-talk. —Elise Devlin, New York Times, 16 May 2026

The aim of reparenting, Sarkis says, is to replace negative self-talk with the voice of a loving parent. —Charles Trepany, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2026

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

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