“Self-talk” works to improves one’s performance
The link between one’s thoughts and improving performance, specifically in sports, is thought to be activated by the use of “self-talk” - a psychic strategy that triggers a desired behavior through the use of self-addressed cues – words and phrases - mostly by focusing attention and psyching-up.
“We know this strategy works, and it works in sports,” says sports psychologist Antonis Hatzigeorgiadis. But Hatzigeorgiadis and fellow researchers wanted to know more – specifically, what makes it work better, and in what circumstances.
Researchers at the Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences at the University of Thessaly found that different self-talk cues work differently in different situations.
For tasks requiring fine skills or for improving technique “instructional self-talk,” such as a technical instruction (“elbow-up” which Hatzigeorgiadis coaches beginner freestyle swimmers to say) is more effective than “motivational self-talk” (e.g., “give it all”), which seems to be more effective in tasks requiring strength or endurance, boosting confidence and psyching-up for competition.
Also, probably because it improves concentration, self-talk has a greater effect on tasks involving fine skills (such as sinking a golf ball) rather than gross skills (e.g., cycling). The researchers also found that self-talk is more effective for learning new tasks rather than well-learned tasks, because it is easier to improve at the early steps of learning.
The main goals behind self-talk—like other techniques such as visualization to “rehearse” a performance or meditation to improve focus and relaxation—are twofold, says Hatzigeorgiadis: “to enhance your potential; and to perform during competition in terms of your ability and not less.”
