1 00:00:00,760 --> 00:00:05,000 Speaker 1: Welcome to Fitness Disrupted, a production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:09,560 --> 00:00:16,120 Speaker 1: I am Tom Holland and this is Fitness Disrupted. Self talk, 3 00:00:17,560 --> 00:00:21,880 Speaker 1: the internal monologue, the thoughts you have in your head 4 00:00:22,000 --> 00:00:25,960 Speaker 1: all day long. I'm going to talk about how important 5 00:00:26,840 --> 00:00:30,880 Speaker 1: that internal monologue is, how you can harness the power 6 00:00:31,000 --> 00:00:35,960 Speaker 1: of it, and that goes for both sports performance as 7 00:00:36,000 --> 00:00:40,840 Speaker 1: well as just enjoying life. They are not mutually exclusive. 8 00:00:40,880 --> 00:00:44,640 Speaker 1: They are intricately connected, and I'm going to talk about 9 00:00:44,720 --> 00:00:48,680 Speaker 1: both because they both apply. So whether you are a 10 00:00:49,560 --> 00:00:54,080 Speaker 1: high level athletes and elite athlete, a recreational athlete, or 11 00:00:54,120 --> 00:00:55,800 Speaker 1: not an athlete at all, but you just want to 12 00:00:55,920 --> 00:01:00,440 Speaker 1: enjoy life more fully, the thoughts we have in our 13 00:01:00,560 --> 00:01:05,360 Speaker 1: head are so darn important to all of those things. 14 00:01:06,240 --> 00:01:11,640 Speaker 1: This was one of my favorite topic subjects in my 15 00:01:11,720 --> 00:01:15,880 Speaker 1: master's work. I loved it and I went on to 16 00:01:16,120 --> 00:01:20,360 Speaker 1: lecture about it and still do frequently. I'm actually pulling 17 00:01:20,400 --> 00:01:23,400 Speaker 1: off of power point presentation I have used for years 18 00:01:24,120 --> 00:01:30,000 Speaker 1: about self talk, and it goes to sports psychology. There's 19 00:01:30,040 --> 00:01:34,160 Speaker 1: so many different aspects of the mental game that we 20 00:01:34,200 --> 00:01:37,959 Speaker 1: can harness. I'll do many other shows on that visualization, 21 00:01:39,040 --> 00:01:42,520 Speaker 1: but self talk and I have a lot of experience 22 00:01:42,560 --> 00:01:46,640 Speaker 1: with it, as do you. The problem is so many 23 00:01:46,680 --> 00:01:50,280 Speaker 1: people aren't aware of what the thoughts are in their 24 00:01:50,320 --> 00:01:56,280 Speaker 1: head and how those thoughts have a profound impact on 25 00:01:56,320 --> 00:02:00,960 Speaker 1: how you feel, and how you feel in uh sports 26 00:02:00,960 --> 00:02:07,880 Speaker 1: performance situation, and how you feel throughout the day. And yes, 27 00:02:08,639 --> 00:02:12,160 Speaker 1: it is something you can control. That's what this show 28 00:02:12,240 --> 00:02:14,160 Speaker 1: is all about, right, What we can control? What do 29 00:02:14,240 --> 00:02:16,480 Speaker 1: I say? At the end of just about every episode. 30 00:02:16,639 --> 00:02:19,680 Speaker 1: There are three things we can control, how much we move, 31 00:02:19,880 --> 00:02:23,480 Speaker 1: what we put in our mouths, and our attitudes. And 32 00:02:23,520 --> 00:02:28,600 Speaker 1: the attitude is intricately connected to this self talk. And 33 00:02:28,680 --> 00:02:31,480 Speaker 1: you can have really negative self talk as many people do, 34 00:02:32,000 --> 00:02:38,600 Speaker 1: or really positive self talk, and both have an incredible 35 00:02:38,639 --> 00:02:42,799 Speaker 1: impact on your body, on stress, on anxiety, on feeling 36 00:02:42,880 --> 00:02:45,360 Speaker 1: good or feeling bad. So what is self talk? Let 37 00:02:45,360 --> 00:02:48,760 Speaker 1: me give you the quick definition. There are many, but 38 00:02:48,840 --> 00:02:51,840 Speaker 1: the one I love is self talk is an effective 39 00:02:51,880 --> 00:02:57,400 Speaker 1: technique for controlling thoughts and influencing feelings, both of which 40 00:02:57,480 --> 00:03:03,360 Speaker 1: can influence self confidence as well as performance. So again, 41 00:03:03,400 --> 00:03:07,160 Speaker 1: you don't have to be an athlete to benefit. Actually, 42 00:03:07,840 --> 00:03:11,360 Speaker 1: twenty four hours a day, what is that recorder in 43 00:03:11,360 --> 00:03:14,400 Speaker 1: your head saying? What are you saying to yourself? All 44 00:03:14,480 --> 00:03:17,520 Speaker 1: day long. What are you saying to yourself before you 45 00:03:17,560 --> 00:03:20,800 Speaker 1: have to go for that job interview, or you know, 46 00:03:20,960 --> 00:03:24,000 Speaker 1: before you are going to give that presentation or a 47 00:03:24,120 --> 00:03:30,440 Speaker 1: lectures anything. Self talk? All right, So self talk they 48 00:03:30,440 --> 00:03:33,440 Speaker 1: can be words actually spoken, but most often they are 49 00:03:33,560 --> 00:03:38,840 Speaker 1: thoughts in your head. They are affirmations when they're positive. 50 00:03:39,880 --> 00:03:42,160 Speaker 1: They can be mantras. And I'm gonna give you so 51 00:03:42,200 --> 00:03:46,880 Speaker 1: many different examples and of ones that I use. I'm 52 00:03:46,880 --> 00:03:51,320 Speaker 1: not embarrassed. And here's another thing. All top athletes, all 53 00:03:51,400 --> 00:03:56,920 Speaker 1: of them utilize self talk. Some share their self talk strategies, 54 00:03:57,080 --> 00:04:02,200 Speaker 1: many don't because it's personal. And again, self talk is 55 00:04:02,240 --> 00:04:09,680 Speaker 1: that internal monologue you have. And anyone who's done those 56 00:04:09,720 --> 00:04:11,280 Speaker 1: of you who are listening, I know I have many 57 00:04:11,360 --> 00:04:15,120 Speaker 1: endurance athletes, So if you've done an iron Man, a marathon, 58 00:04:15,640 --> 00:04:19,160 Speaker 1: you know, any type of long endurance race. One thing 59 00:04:19,200 --> 00:04:22,839 Speaker 1: people often share with one another is that self talk 60 00:04:23,240 --> 00:04:25,000 Speaker 1: that goes on in your head when you are doing 61 00:04:25,040 --> 00:04:28,039 Speaker 1: something for an extended period of time, like an iron Man. 62 00:04:28,200 --> 00:04:31,440 Speaker 1: Here's the self talk, and anyone, again who's done it 63 00:04:31,520 --> 00:04:34,760 Speaker 1: will relate to it. You know, at the beginning, you're 64 00:04:34,800 --> 00:04:36,800 Speaker 1: you're thinking, this is the greatest thing I've ever done, 65 00:04:37,160 --> 00:04:39,039 Speaker 1: and then ten seconds later you're going, why am I 66 00:04:39,080 --> 00:04:40,720 Speaker 1: doing this? This is the dumbest thing I've ever done. 67 00:04:40,920 --> 00:04:43,960 Speaker 1: And it goes back and forth like that, generally speaking 68 00:04:43,960 --> 00:04:47,000 Speaker 1: for the entire duration of the race. This is great, 69 00:04:47,040 --> 00:04:49,479 Speaker 1: this is horrible, This is great, this is horrible. I 70 00:04:49,520 --> 00:04:53,560 Speaker 1: feel good, I feel bad. This hurts that the thoughts 71 00:04:53,760 --> 00:04:57,599 Speaker 1: we have in our head, and it applies to life. 72 00:04:58,279 --> 00:05:01,960 Speaker 1: You're in a situation, social situations, and I'm gonna give 73 00:05:02,000 --> 00:05:05,400 Speaker 1: you studies that not only deal with sports performance, but 74 00:05:05,480 --> 00:05:11,400 Speaker 1: also the social situations, the anxiety. It applies to day 75 00:05:11,440 --> 00:05:17,080 Speaker 1: to day life as well as performance. So the thoughts 76 00:05:17,320 --> 00:05:22,720 Speaker 1: you have in your head directly affect the feelings, and 77 00:05:22,760 --> 00:05:32,160 Speaker 1: then the performance thoughts profoundly affect the physical and just 78 00:05:32,200 --> 00:05:35,800 Speaker 1: by changing the thoughts you have in your head, you 79 00:05:35,839 --> 00:05:39,919 Speaker 1: can harness, as I said at the start, the power, 80 00:05:41,080 --> 00:05:47,400 Speaker 1: and all top athletes do this. And I truly believe 81 00:05:47,560 --> 00:05:51,760 Speaker 1: in my experience and studies and and racing myself, the 82 00:05:51,800 --> 00:05:56,600 Speaker 1: top athletes generally in any given race are pretty close physiologically. 83 00:05:57,279 --> 00:05:59,560 Speaker 1: It's who wants it more? And I'll give you great 84 00:05:59,600 --> 00:06:01,960 Speaker 1: stories about all that who wants it more? That day, 85 00:06:03,440 --> 00:06:06,960 Speaker 1: there was one athlete who came in second for many 86 00:06:07,080 --> 00:06:10,279 Speaker 1: years at an an Ironman triathlon overseas that I would 87 00:06:10,320 --> 00:06:13,320 Speaker 1: do second, and one year his wife he was in 88 00:06:13,360 --> 00:06:16,920 Speaker 1: second again later stages of the race, and his wife 89 00:06:16,960 --> 00:06:19,159 Speaker 1: supposedly yelled out to him from the sidelines as he 90 00:06:19,200 --> 00:06:21,839 Speaker 1: was going past during the run, are you gonna be 91 00:06:21,839 --> 00:06:27,719 Speaker 1: a bridesmaid again? And that was all he needed two 92 00:06:28,640 --> 00:06:31,880 Speaker 1: put the hammer down, as we say, and finally win 93 00:06:31,920 --> 00:06:36,120 Speaker 1: the race. So that goes to motivation and the thoughts 94 00:06:36,160 --> 00:06:39,839 Speaker 1: you have in in your head and his self talk 95 00:06:40,520 --> 00:06:43,880 Speaker 1: what he started telling himself from that moment forward. All right, 96 00:06:44,000 --> 00:06:47,359 Speaker 1: quick break, and when we come back more about the 97 00:06:47,520 --> 00:07:02,080 Speaker 1: power of self talk. We'll be right back. So the 98 00:07:02,320 --> 00:07:05,960 Speaker 1: uses of self talk, what are you gonna utilize it for? Well, 99 00:07:06,800 --> 00:07:09,960 Speaker 1: one of my favorite terms that I've used many other 100 00:07:10,000 --> 00:07:14,040 Speaker 1: shows self efficacy. So one of the primary uses of 101 00:07:14,080 --> 00:07:18,360 Speaker 1: self talk is in the building and developing of self efficacy, 102 00:07:18,640 --> 00:07:22,160 Speaker 1: that is situational confidence. And that is one of my 103 00:07:22,240 --> 00:07:24,960 Speaker 1: goals of what I do for a living and when 104 00:07:25,000 --> 00:07:27,280 Speaker 1: I was a trainer and a coach and now with 105 00:07:27,400 --> 00:07:29,600 Speaker 1: the podcast and the media and the books, is to 106 00:07:29,680 --> 00:07:34,520 Speaker 1: help people develop self efficacy, situational confidence. Feeling good about 107 00:07:34,520 --> 00:07:39,400 Speaker 1: yourself and the small victories are not small. They build 108 00:07:39,480 --> 00:07:44,520 Speaker 1: upon themselves. And that's why I say I intensely dislike 109 00:07:44,600 --> 00:07:48,880 Speaker 1: diets that go against your self efficacy, that that break 110 00:07:48,920 --> 00:07:53,400 Speaker 1: down your confidence because you struggle, you suffer, you do 111 00:07:53,440 --> 00:07:56,280 Speaker 1: what you're told, and in the end you're back where 112 00:07:56,280 --> 00:08:00,400 Speaker 1: you started and generally behind the eight ball. So that 113 00:08:00,440 --> 00:08:03,120 Speaker 1: doesn't help build your self efficacy. The short term fixes 114 00:08:03,520 --> 00:08:10,000 Speaker 1: the fad workouts and diets that are flawed from the outset. Okay, 115 00:08:10,040 --> 00:08:12,520 Speaker 1: So that is one of the primary uses of self 116 00:08:12,520 --> 00:08:15,680 Speaker 1: talk is to build that self efficacy, to build up 117 00:08:15,760 --> 00:08:20,080 Speaker 1: the mental game. And that is what I love about racing. 118 00:08:20,760 --> 00:08:22,320 Speaker 1: This is what I will love. There's so many things 119 00:08:22,400 --> 00:08:25,160 Speaker 1: and traveling and pushing the limits and feeling good with 120 00:08:25,200 --> 00:08:27,280 Speaker 1: the hormones and all that kind of stuff, but I 121 00:08:27,360 --> 00:08:31,800 Speaker 1: love the mental game. And that's what I love about 122 00:08:32,040 --> 00:08:34,800 Speaker 1: iron Man is it's not who goes the fastest, it's 123 00:08:34,800 --> 00:08:38,320 Speaker 1: who slows down the least. And generally speaking, and this 124 00:08:38,360 --> 00:08:40,920 Speaker 1: goes to what we're talking about here, the people who 125 00:08:40,920 --> 00:08:43,600 Speaker 1: win iron Man Triathlons are not twenty one or twenty two. 126 00:08:43,840 --> 00:08:47,000 Speaker 1: They're usually like thirty thirty five, sometimes older and a 127 00:08:47,120 --> 00:08:49,000 Speaker 1: huge part of that is because they have the mental 128 00:08:49,080 --> 00:08:51,480 Speaker 1: game down because of the twenty one year old doesn't 129 00:08:51,480 --> 00:08:54,160 Speaker 1: know how to hold back. And I'll talk about how 130 00:08:54,200 --> 00:08:57,840 Speaker 1: self talk you actually utilize that to hold back. All right, 131 00:08:59,200 --> 00:09:06,000 Speaker 1: So skill acquisition, that is another incredible use of self 132 00:09:06,080 --> 00:09:09,880 Speaker 1: talk to acquire a skill. You're gonna have those thoughts 133 00:09:09,880 --> 00:09:13,199 Speaker 1: in your head to help develop those skills. And I'll 134 00:09:13,240 --> 00:09:18,199 Speaker 1: talk more about that shortly. And the third and super important, 135 00:09:18,520 --> 00:09:23,439 Speaker 1: creating and changing your mood. Creating and changing your mood. 136 00:09:24,240 --> 00:09:26,960 Speaker 1: I've talked about how my favorite time before race is 137 00:09:27,040 --> 00:09:29,200 Speaker 1: like the minute or two before the gun goes off, 138 00:09:29,920 --> 00:09:32,880 Speaker 1: and that is when, holy cow, I am using self 139 00:09:32,920 --> 00:09:38,280 Speaker 1: talk to create and get in the right state of arousal. 140 00:09:38,320 --> 00:09:41,839 Speaker 1: That I'll talk about and the mood. And if you're 141 00:09:41,880 --> 00:09:45,679 Speaker 1: sitting there, I was doing one of my first as 142 00:09:45,760 --> 00:09:48,640 Speaker 1: my first half iron man many years ago. I was 143 00:09:48,679 --> 00:09:50,800 Speaker 1: doing it for a charity in Florida. I will never 144 00:09:50,840 --> 00:09:55,480 Speaker 1: forget standing total true story as they always are. I'm 145 00:09:55,600 --> 00:09:58,319 Speaker 1: on the beach, the national anthem is playing, We're all 146 00:09:58,360 --> 00:10:00,920 Speaker 1: waiting for that mass start back in the day when 147 00:10:00,960 --> 00:10:03,640 Speaker 1: we did have mass starts, and I heard this beeping 148 00:10:03,800 --> 00:10:07,000 Speaker 1: next to me, and it was fast. It's fast beeping, 149 00:10:07,360 --> 00:10:10,880 Speaker 1: and I realized it was the heart rate monitor of 150 00:10:10,920 --> 00:10:13,360 Speaker 1: the guy next to me, underneath his wetsuit. It is 151 00:10:13,480 --> 00:10:15,320 Speaker 1: heart rate monitor on Some people wear it during the swim. 152 00:10:15,360 --> 00:10:17,840 Speaker 1: I never do, uh, And you could hear it he 153 00:10:17,920 --> 00:10:21,440 Speaker 1: had the volume wasn't turned down back and his heart 154 00:10:21,679 --> 00:10:24,920 Speaker 1: was like a hundred and eighty beats. So the self talk. 155 00:10:25,040 --> 00:10:28,560 Speaker 1: He was obviously nervous, as so many people are. But 156 00:10:28,640 --> 00:10:32,800 Speaker 1: you can utilize self talk at a time like that. 157 00:10:32,800 --> 00:10:37,360 Speaker 1: That is exactly when you use it to calm yourself down, 158 00:10:37,760 --> 00:10:41,440 Speaker 1: to decrease anxiety, to get yourself in your again, your 159 00:10:42,000 --> 00:10:47,680 Speaker 1: perfect state of arousal. Okay. Fourth way to utilize self 160 00:10:47,720 --> 00:10:51,960 Speaker 1: talk controlling effort. The beginning of the Boston Marathon. Giving 161 00:10:51,960 --> 00:10:55,840 Speaker 1: you all these sports analogies, but they clarify very quickly 162 00:10:56,800 --> 00:10:59,599 Speaker 1: Boston Marathon or any race for that matter, Let's just 163 00:10:59,640 --> 00:11:02,720 Speaker 1: go in race. What happens. People go out too fast. 164 00:11:03,880 --> 00:11:06,600 Speaker 1: People go out too fast, even the Boston Marathon, where 165 00:11:06,640 --> 00:11:10,800 Speaker 1: there are more experienced runners generally speaking, and they go 166 00:11:10,880 --> 00:11:13,480 Speaker 1: out too fast. Great story I tell I used to 167 00:11:13,640 --> 00:11:17,960 Speaker 1: race with a great, amazing athlete, guy runner, elite athlete, 168 00:11:18,360 --> 00:11:21,439 Speaker 1: and even he would go out too fast the Boston 169 00:11:21,520 --> 00:11:24,880 Speaker 1: Marathon and he would blow up by Heartbreak Hill, and 170 00:11:24,920 --> 00:11:27,280 Speaker 1: I love that. I asked him after we raced Boston 171 00:11:27,679 --> 00:11:30,280 Speaker 1: together a couple of years ago and he had that 172 00:11:30,360 --> 00:11:33,200 Speaker 1: same blow up, and you know, he finished, but not 173 00:11:33,440 --> 00:11:36,040 Speaker 1: at the time and kind of walked in the final miles, 174 00:11:36,160 --> 00:11:38,160 Speaker 1: and I said, why don't you hold back? Why don't 175 00:11:38,200 --> 00:11:40,320 Speaker 1: you you know better? And he said, I said, what's 176 00:11:40,320 --> 00:11:42,600 Speaker 1: the self talk you have in your head as you're 177 00:11:42,600 --> 00:11:48,040 Speaker 1: going faster and you're passing people? And he said, I'm different. No, 178 00:11:48,400 --> 00:11:52,040 Speaker 1: he not that different. So controlling effort and that means 179 00:11:52,080 --> 00:11:54,640 Speaker 1: to go harder when you're supposed to go harder, and 180 00:11:54,800 --> 00:11:57,560 Speaker 1: easier when you need to hold back. And I'll give 181 00:11:57,600 --> 00:12:01,640 Speaker 1: you specific examples of that shortly as well. And then 182 00:12:01,800 --> 00:12:05,600 Speaker 1: the last one and it goes to changing mood, but 183 00:12:05,679 --> 00:12:10,880 Speaker 1: a little more specific focusing your attention and concentration, and 184 00:12:10,880 --> 00:12:12,520 Speaker 1: I want to talk about how you can do that 185 00:12:12,679 --> 00:12:16,520 Speaker 1: and use that when things are going wrong. So you 186 00:12:16,559 --> 00:12:19,560 Speaker 1: take your focus off of the things that are going 187 00:12:19,559 --> 00:12:22,439 Speaker 1: wrong or the pain you're feeling. And again that goes 188 00:12:22,480 --> 00:12:26,960 Speaker 1: for life or an event the same. And so you 189 00:12:27,000 --> 00:12:29,640 Speaker 1: focus your attention, you take it off of the negative, 190 00:12:30,400 --> 00:12:34,000 Speaker 1: put it on something else through self talk, and that 191 00:12:34,040 --> 00:12:37,720 Speaker 1: gets you through Holy smokes. Is that something that I 192 00:12:37,760 --> 00:12:40,680 Speaker 1: have learned over every single race, by the way, you 193 00:12:40,679 --> 00:12:43,840 Speaker 1: know twenty six iron Man's, over seventy marathons and ultra marathons. 194 00:12:43,960 --> 00:12:46,400 Speaker 1: I tell you that because I every race, I learned 195 00:12:46,440 --> 00:12:49,040 Speaker 1: something more about myself, and every race I get a 196 00:12:49,040 --> 00:12:53,679 Speaker 1: little better at doing these things. And self talk is 197 00:12:53,720 --> 00:12:58,600 Speaker 1: something that, like a muscle and a skill, you get 198 00:12:58,600 --> 00:13:01,480 Speaker 1: better and better at it the more you practice it 199 00:13:01,559 --> 00:13:03,920 Speaker 1: and the more you're challenged, and the more you build 200 00:13:04,000 --> 00:13:07,000 Speaker 1: up that self efficacy. So how do you do it? 201 00:13:07,040 --> 00:13:11,840 Speaker 1: What are the guidelines for self talk statements? And there's 202 00:13:11,840 --> 00:13:14,960 Speaker 1: about six that I like to use ways to develop 203 00:13:15,040 --> 00:13:17,800 Speaker 1: them and design them. They should be short and concise. 204 00:13:18,000 --> 00:13:20,560 Speaker 1: Shouldn't be really long, you know, a couple of words, 205 00:13:20,640 --> 00:13:23,400 Speaker 1: maybe five or six at the most, but that you 206 00:13:23,400 --> 00:13:26,920 Speaker 1: want them to be short, right, And that's because generally speaking, 207 00:13:26,920 --> 00:13:29,840 Speaker 1: you're going to repeat them over and over again. They 208 00:13:29,840 --> 00:13:33,520 Speaker 1: should be positive. Now, there is conflicting research. I read 209 00:13:33,559 --> 00:13:36,320 Speaker 1: one study where it said, you know, negative self talk 210 00:13:37,240 --> 00:13:40,640 Speaker 1: goes against everything I'm talking about, and it's a little 211 00:13:41,040 --> 00:13:45,000 Speaker 1: There are gradations to that study, but they should be positive. 212 00:13:45,080 --> 00:13:49,920 Speaker 1: Let's let's leave it at that, positive positive affirmations in 213 00:13:49,960 --> 00:13:52,560 Speaker 1: your head, right, They should generally be in the present tense, 214 00:13:52,880 --> 00:13:55,440 Speaker 1: not I will feel better if you're in you know, 215 00:13:55,800 --> 00:13:59,920 Speaker 1: pain or discomfort, like during a race, it's I feel 216 00:14:00,080 --> 00:14:05,040 Speaker 1: good now, I feel good, present tense, not future, not 217 00:14:05,200 --> 00:14:07,720 Speaker 1: I will. You're not gonna think of what might happen. 218 00:14:08,160 --> 00:14:13,079 Speaker 1: You're gonna tell your body what you want it to believe. 219 00:14:14,920 --> 00:14:18,040 Speaker 1: You're gonna tell your body. Your brain is going to 220 00:14:18,120 --> 00:14:21,600 Speaker 1: tell your body what it's going to believe and feel, 221 00:14:23,000 --> 00:14:30,360 Speaker 1: and that mind body connection is insanely powerful. I like 222 00:14:30,600 --> 00:14:34,760 Speaker 1: for the fourth type is rhyming. Rhyming generally works, and 223 00:14:34,760 --> 00:14:36,880 Speaker 1: I'll give you a handful of the ones I use. 224 00:14:37,400 --> 00:14:41,120 Speaker 1: Song lyrics are great, so rhyming. And then if you 225 00:14:41,120 --> 00:14:43,200 Speaker 1: want to throw in song lyrics, and there's a lot 226 00:14:43,240 --> 00:14:47,480 Speaker 1: of song lyrics that rhyme. One I love. Here's rhyming 227 00:14:47,600 --> 00:14:50,680 Speaker 1: song lyrics kind of Beastie Boys. I wrote about this 228 00:14:50,760 --> 00:14:53,440 Speaker 1: in my book The Marathon Method. I believe one of 229 00:14:53,480 --> 00:14:59,280 Speaker 1: my perfect mantras self talk statements that I've used not 230 00:14:59,360 --> 00:15:03,760 Speaker 1: only in ray racing but in life. But it really 231 00:15:03,760 --> 00:15:07,120 Speaker 1: applies to racing is the Beastie Boys, and it's let 232 00:15:07,120 --> 00:15:10,840 Speaker 1: it flow. Let yourself go slow and low. That is 233 00:15:10,880 --> 00:15:13,920 Speaker 1: the tempo. And I use that during the swim and 234 00:15:13,960 --> 00:15:15,440 Speaker 1: I'll get in a rhythm and I'll get that in 235 00:15:15,480 --> 00:15:20,440 Speaker 1: my head. Let it flow, let yourself go slow and low. 236 00:15:20,480 --> 00:15:24,000 Speaker 1: That is the tempo. I love that a little embarrassing, 237 00:15:24,080 --> 00:15:28,880 Speaker 1: but it works, all right. And then acronyms awesome. Take 238 00:15:28,920 --> 00:15:33,080 Speaker 1: a word like flow and build off that, the F, 239 00:15:33,280 --> 00:15:37,520 Speaker 1: the L, O, the W. Yeah, just play off those 240 00:15:37,600 --> 00:15:42,640 Speaker 1: words and those letters. And this takes your focus as well. 241 00:15:42,680 --> 00:15:45,360 Speaker 1: So it's doing so many things at the same time. 242 00:15:45,800 --> 00:15:48,520 Speaker 1: All Right, I can't tell you how much I am 243 00:15:48,520 --> 00:15:50,760 Speaker 1: telling you how much I love this topic. Basically, I 244 00:15:50,880 --> 00:15:53,240 Speaker 1: use three different categories when it comes to self talk. 245 00:15:53,280 --> 00:15:58,800 Speaker 1: All right, You're gonna use first, task specific statements relating 246 00:15:58,840 --> 00:16:00,880 Speaker 1: to technique of hey. So that's when I was talking 247 00:16:00,880 --> 00:16:03,960 Speaker 1: about skill acquisition. So if you're a tennis player, if 248 00:16:04,000 --> 00:16:07,480 Speaker 1: you are, you know, acquiring a new skill, the self 249 00:16:07,520 --> 00:16:09,640 Speaker 1: talk is going to be the instructions in your head 250 00:16:10,080 --> 00:16:13,560 Speaker 1: hold the racket this way. All those different self talk 251 00:16:13,640 --> 00:16:19,320 Speaker 1: statements relating to acquiring that technique that skill. Then totally 252 00:16:19,360 --> 00:16:23,040 Speaker 1: different is encouragement and effort. So I talked about that 253 00:16:23,080 --> 00:16:26,560 Speaker 1: a little already. I am ready to talk about things 254 00:16:26,600 --> 00:16:30,760 Speaker 1: like that. I'm an effort, going harder, going easier. And 255 00:16:30,800 --> 00:16:33,880 Speaker 1: then finally the mood words, right, so changing the mood. 256 00:16:34,400 --> 00:16:38,440 Speaker 1: So think of how powerful those three categories are. You're 257 00:16:38,440 --> 00:16:42,680 Speaker 1: gonna acquire the technique you need, the skill acquisition, self talk, 258 00:16:43,040 --> 00:16:46,240 Speaker 1: the instructions in your head. You're gonna use it for 259 00:16:46,280 --> 00:16:50,320 Speaker 1: the encouragement and effort that you need. And then you're 260 00:16:50,320 --> 00:16:53,240 Speaker 1: gonna do it and utilize it to change the mood, 261 00:16:53,880 --> 00:16:57,960 Speaker 1: whatever mood state you need to be in. And so 262 00:16:58,080 --> 00:17:01,280 Speaker 1: let me go to the inverted you theory of mood states, 263 00:17:01,320 --> 00:17:04,119 Speaker 1: and this goes to coaches. A great coach knows that 264 00:17:04,600 --> 00:17:08,040 Speaker 1: his or her players all have different there there on, 265 00:17:08,160 --> 00:17:11,600 Speaker 1: different parts of that inverted you of arousals. So in 266 00:17:11,680 --> 00:17:13,840 Speaker 1: other words, some people need to be really hyped up 267 00:17:13,840 --> 00:17:16,640 Speaker 1: before their event, some people need to listen to classical 268 00:17:16,720 --> 00:17:22,040 Speaker 1: music and be much calmer, and then there's all of 269 00:17:22,080 --> 00:17:25,760 Speaker 1: the stuff in between, the entire spectrum in between for 270 00:17:25,840 --> 00:17:28,160 Speaker 1: different people. So you've got to figure that out for you. 271 00:17:28,400 --> 00:17:31,040 Speaker 1: And a great coach figures that out for every single 272 00:17:31,119 --> 00:17:35,000 Speaker 1: one of his or her players. Where does that player 273 00:17:35,760 --> 00:17:38,639 Speaker 1: need to be to perform at their best before an event? 274 00:17:39,920 --> 00:17:43,119 Speaker 1: And you utilize self talk to get you there, utilize 275 00:17:43,560 --> 00:17:49,240 Speaker 1: music visualization, Uh, that's a separate podcast, but self talk 276 00:17:49,440 --> 00:17:53,359 Speaker 1: as well. So you can be overly aroused and you 277 00:17:53,400 --> 00:17:56,000 Speaker 1: could be under you could you could be too calm, 278 00:17:56,040 --> 00:17:58,919 Speaker 1: So you need to figure that out for yourself. Okay, 279 00:17:58,960 --> 00:18:02,200 Speaker 1: So let's go to the first task specific statements relating 280 00:18:02,200 --> 00:18:06,480 Speaker 1: to technique. All right, So this is generally best for 281 00:18:06,640 --> 00:18:11,399 Speaker 1: and most effective for those skills sports that have fine 282 00:18:11,440 --> 00:18:16,480 Speaker 1: motor control and skill tasks golf, right, and they help 283 00:18:16,560 --> 00:18:21,160 Speaker 1: improve your form and economy. If you're a runner, triathlete, 284 00:18:21,160 --> 00:18:23,720 Speaker 1: I'll talk about that when I get to the specific 285 00:18:24,080 --> 00:18:27,320 Speaker 1: types of self talk you will utilize. And it's going 286 00:18:27,400 --> 00:18:32,879 Speaker 1: to control that focus again. Okay, so these are cues 287 00:18:32,960 --> 00:18:36,840 Speaker 1: that you're gonna use like process cues. Reach. If you're 288 00:18:36,840 --> 00:18:40,159 Speaker 1: a swimmer, you're gonna think of things like reach, grab 289 00:18:40,240 --> 00:18:45,240 Speaker 1: the water. If you are a cyclist, you know, typical 290 00:18:45,320 --> 00:18:49,760 Speaker 1: task specific statement and self talk might be smooth circles, 291 00:18:50,400 --> 00:18:53,879 Speaker 1: drop my heels, drop the heels. And then if you're 292 00:18:53,920 --> 00:18:57,919 Speaker 1: a runner and many of you are, relax the shoulders 293 00:18:58,000 --> 00:19:02,159 Speaker 1: right soft foot strike. So these are the type of 294 00:19:02,200 --> 00:19:04,760 Speaker 1: things that I am doing. And when I had my 295 00:19:04,840 --> 00:19:09,800 Speaker 1: best races, I was using these self talk task specific 296 00:19:09,880 --> 00:19:14,639 Speaker 1: statements the best I ever did, and so utilizing those 297 00:19:14,720 --> 00:19:20,159 Speaker 1: cues that are helping you with your technique, all right, 298 00:19:20,240 --> 00:19:22,480 Speaker 1: And every coach is going to give you these, then 299 00:19:22,480 --> 00:19:25,240 Speaker 1: you put them in your head and then it's connected 300 00:19:25,280 --> 00:19:29,840 Speaker 1: to the body. So task specific statements, all right, you 301 00:19:29,880 --> 00:19:32,200 Speaker 1: know what, quick break. When we come back, I'm gonna 302 00:19:32,200 --> 00:19:34,720 Speaker 1: pull us all together, give you some quick studies, and 303 00:19:34,760 --> 00:19:38,000 Speaker 1: then you're gonna know how to utilize this not only 304 00:19:38,600 --> 00:19:43,200 Speaker 1: for whatever sport you enjoy, but day to day, moment 305 00:19:43,280 --> 00:19:46,880 Speaker 1: to moment, to make life easier and more enjoyable. Self talk. 306 00:19:46,920 --> 00:19:57,440 Speaker 1: We'll be right back, and we are back talking about 307 00:19:57,520 --> 00:20:01,480 Speaker 1: self talk. I could make this show hours and you'd 308 00:20:01,520 --> 00:20:08,159 Speaker 1: be tortured. So I'm hopefully giving you just enough so 309 00:20:08,320 --> 00:20:12,639 Speaker 1: you can walk away and start using it right away. 310 00:20:12,760 --> 00:20:14,440 Speaker 1: And and that's what I try to do with all 311 00:20:14,480 --> 00:20:18,800 Speaker 1: these shows. Actionable. I said it in my first show. 312 00:20:19,680 --> 00:20:21,679 Speaker 1: I want to give you the science, give you my 313 00:20:21,760 --> 00:20:24,960 Speaker 1: experiences with it, and then give you the ability to 314 00:20:25,160 --> 00:20:31,840 Speaker 1: hopefully use it right away. And holy smokes, if this 315 00:20:31,920 --> 00:20:36,119 Speaker 1: isn't something you can use right away. The thoughts you 316 00:20:36,160 --> 00:20:40,560 Speaker 1: have in your head, no one controls. It's Shawshank redemption, right, 317 00:20:41,280 --> 00:20:46,800 Speaker 1: No one controls the thoughts in your head. That's you. 318 00:20:47,200 --> 00:20:51,359 Speaker 1: That's how we react. The thoughts in your head, yourself talk, 319 00:20:51,760 --> 00:20:56,320 Speaker 1: are in your control, all right. So we talked about 320 00:20:56,320 --> 00:20:59,359 Speaker 1: the task specific statements. Now we're going back to effort, 321 00:20:59,680 --> 00:21:03,439 Speaker 1: all right. So again, if you're a swimmer, glide, so 322 00:21:03,520 --> 00:21:07,639 Speaker 1: the effort nice and easy. That's what people should be 323 00:21:07,680 --> 00:21:11,000 Speaker 1: thinking about at the beginning of a race. And I 324 00:21:11,080 --> 00:21:14,240 Speaker 1: love the word flow flow. You just say it out 325 00:21:14,280 --> 00:21:19,600 Speaker 1: loud and it helps to control the effort. So those 326 00:21:20,119 --> 00:21:22,760 Speaker 1: words that are going to control the effort, to keep 327 00:21:22,800 --> 00:21:26,280 Speaker 1: you back right or keep you steady. And then I 328 00:21:26,400 --> 00:21:28,399 Speaker 1: love it the final you know, if I have to 329 00:21:28,480 --> 00:21:31,159 Speaker 1: kick in at the end of a race, hammer, I 330 00:21:31,280 --> 00:21:34,600 Speaker 1: love that term, like hammer, put the hammer down, pick 331 00:21:34,680 --> 00:21:38,840 Speaker 1: it up, boom, even just you know, crazy single words 332 00:21:39,480 --> 00:21:44,480 Speaker 1: that tell your body what you wanted to do. I 333 00:21:44,600 --> 00:21:49,040 Speaker 1: love it and it's incredible. Right everyone can sprint? Why 334 00:21:49,080 --> 00:21:51,320 Speaker 1: can everyone sprint no matter how long the race is? 335 00:21:52,160 --> 00:21:55,720 Speaker 1: To the finish slide? Right? And you got that self 336 00:21:55,760 --> 00:21:59,280 Speaker 1: talk statement. Another one I have is when I'm getting 337 00:21:59,320 --> 00:22:02,360 Speaker 1: towards the end of a race, Let's put this to bed. 338 00:22:03,040 --> 00:22:06,080 Speaker 1: Let's put this race to bed. Let's bring it home. 339 00:22:06,240 --> 00:22:08,960 Speaker 1: Bring it home is another one, Just these statements over 340 00:22:09,000 --> 00:22:14,040 Speaker 1: and over all, right, all right, finally encouragement. Holy cow. 341 00:22:14,160 --> 00:22:18,879 Speaker 1: And now this is obviously really applicable to every day life. 342 00:22:19,800 --> 00:22:25,359 Speaker 1: So we utilize these during important, difficult times during a race, 343 00:22:25,480 --> 00:22:27,440 Speaker 1: generally at the end, but it could be at the beginning. 344 00:22:28,040 --> 00:22:32,200 Speaker 1: And you utilize these at challenging times in your life. 345 00:22:32,800 --> 00:22:35,520 Speaker 1: And that's why. You know, it's so cliche but so 346 00:22:35,640 --> 00:22:41,919 Speaker 1: true to talk about the parallels between challenging yourself in events, 347 00:22:42,600 --> 00:22:46,520 Speaker 1: physical events, and other events like that, and how it 348 00:22:46,560 --> 00:22:52,080 Speaker 1: carries over to your life. It's so common sensical, but 349 00:22:52,560 --> 00:22:55,880 Speaker 1: I keep saying powerful, but because it is so. One 350 00:22:55,920 --> 00:22:59,280 Speaker 1: of my favorite personal ones later stages of a race 351 00:22:59,400 --> 00:23:03,240 Speaker 1: is as the race gets longer, I get stronger. And 352 00:23:03,320 --> 00:23:07,920 Speaker 1: I say that over and over and over again, because 353 00:23:07,960 --> 00:23:10,119 Speaker 1: the more I say it, the more my body believes it. 354 00:23:10,200 --> 00:23:14,800 Speaker 1: Now I might look horrible on the outside, and but 355 00:23:14,960 --> 00:23:19,520 Speaker 1: I'm telling my body, no, I'm saying, as the race 356 00:23:19,560 --> 00:23:22,920 Speaker 1: gets longer, I get stronger, and my goal is to 357 00:23:23,000 --> 00:23:26,800 Speaker 1: always have that in the tank at the end, not 358 00:23:26,920 --> 00:23:29,520 Speaker 1: get past the final mile of a race. As the 359 00:23:29,600 --> 00:23:34,040 Speaker 1: race gets longer, I get stronger. I'm telling myself that 360 00:23:34,240 --> 00:23:39,560 Speaker 1: over sometimes hours on end, I feel great. That is 361 00:23:39,640 --> 00:23:44,800 Speaker 1: so simple and it works wonders, especially when you don't, 362 00:23:46,400 --> 00:23:50,280 Speaker 1: especially when you don't all right. And that's another thing 363 00:23:50,320 --> 00:23:54,400 Speaker 1: I call you know you can replace so a lot 364 00:23:54,400 --> 00:23:56,600 Speaker 1: of times when we're not feeling well in day to 365 00:23:56,680 --> 00:24:00,840 Speaker 1: day too, I don't feel well, No, I feel great. 366 00:24:01,480 --> 00:24:04,160 Speaker 1: Tell your body that over and over and you can 367 00:24:04,200 --> 00:24:09,200 Speaker 1: convince your body that it is so last hill, love 368 00:24:09,280 --> 00:24:12,680 Speaker 1: that one when it's when, it's when it's true. And 369 00:24:12,880 --> 00:24:16,920 Speaker 1: keep on keeping on was one of John Collins who 370 00:24:17,000 --> 00:24:20,440 Speaker 1: started iron Man, Crazy Navy guy who came up with 371 00:24:20,480 --> 00:24:22,400 Speaker 1: the idea that was one of his keep on keeping 372 00:24:22,440 --> 00:24:25,800 Speaker 1: on And finally, the mood words. Now, these are your 373 00:24:25,960 --> 00:24:29,920 Speaker 1: personal triggers, your personal triggers, and I'm gonna share mine. 374 00:24:29,960 --> 00:24:34,399 Speaker 1: And it's personal but and it's simple. But it's if 375 00:24:34,440 --> 00:24:37,959 Speaker 1: I say, holy cow again, I'm annoying myself. It works 376 00:24:38,000 --> 00:24:41,760 Speaker 1: for me. And these are the words that cause the 377 00:24:41,800 --> 00:24:44,159 Speaker 1: shift and arousal for you to get you where you 378 00:24:44,200 --> 00:24:47,719 Speaker 1: need to be on that inverted you. And they can 379 00:24:47,760 --> 00:24:50,600 Speaker 1: be the words you utilize. If you are someone who meditates, 380 00:24:50,600 --> 00:24:56,240 Speaker 1: who does visualization, relaxation exercises, oftentimes you have these words. 381 00:24:57,000 --> 00:25:00,359 Speaker 1: And again, I love the replacement. Whatever the negative term is, 382 00:25:00,440 --> 00:25:03,000 Speaker 1: replace it with a positive one. My leg hurts, my 383 00:25:03,080 --> 00:25:05,520 Speaker 1: leg feels great. Oh my gosh, I can't tell you 384 00:25:05,520 --> 00:25:08,480 Speaker 1: how many times I've done that. My legs are tired, 385 00:25:08,520 --> 00:25:12,359 Speaker 1: my legs feel awesome. So whatever that, and that's it. 386 00:25:12,400 --> 00:25:14,760 Speaker 1: When we focus on the negative over and I can 387 00:25:14,840 --> 00:25:19,439 Speaker 1: see I can see it in people during races, the 388 00:25:19,480 --> 00:25:22,080 Speaker 1: people who are walking during the running part of of 389 00:25:22,080 --> 00:25:25,320 Speaker 1: of an iron man, and and I'll walk it now. 390 00:25:25,520 --> 00:25:29,360 Speaker 1: A lot of times, yes, they're in physical discomfort, they 391 00:25:29,480 --> 00:25:32,200 Speaker 1: got no fuel and all that. But oftentimes, and I've 392 00:25:32,200 --> 00:25:36,240 Speaker 1: been there, where you realize you can, you can keep running. 393 00:25:36,920 --> 00:25:40,520 Speaker 1: And when you harp on the negative, focus on the negative, 394 00:25:41,400 --> 00:25:45,080 Speaker 1: it's it's it's you're done. You're done. And let me 395 00:25:45,160 --> 00:25:47,240 Speaker 1: just throw in here because it's who I am, and 396 00:25:47,280 --> 00:25:50,959 Speaker 1: it's connected to all this smile. It's one of my 397 00:25:51,080 --> 00:25:57,000 Speaker 1: favorite things. It's not necessarily a self talk term or word, 398 00:25:57,080 --> 00:26:00,520 Speaker 1: but it's connected. So when I say to myself, I 399 00:26:00,560 --> 00:26:03,879 Speaker 1: feel great again, you may see me at the later 400 00:26:03,920 --> 00:26:06,800 Speaker 1: stages of the race where I am beaten up, and 401 00:26:06,840 --> 00:26:08,720 Speaker 1: I have the biggest smile on my face. So the 402 00:26:08,760 --> 00:26:11,520 Speaker 1: worst I feel, the bigger the smile. Is. When you 403 00:26:11,680 --> 00:26:16,480 Speaker 1: just smile, it changes the physiological nature of your body. 404 00:26:16,760 --> 00:26:20,120 Speaker 1: It tells your body to be happy that you feel good. 405 00:26:21,119 --> 00:26:25,400 Speaker 1: So when you're in that challenging situation, throw the biggest 406 00:26:25,400 --> 00:26:27,879 Speaker 1: smile on your face and you can look like the 407 00:26:27,920 --> 00:26:32,320 Speaker 1: wound that I am at mile a hundred and whatever 408 00:26:32,400 --> 00:26:36,320 Speaker 1: of the Iron Man or of the marathon. But it 409 00:26:36,720 --> 00:26:41,880 Speaker 1: works amazingly well. Throw that smile on your face, all right. 410 00:26:42,880 --> 00:26:49,719 Speaker 1: So after years of racing all over the world, I now, 411 00:26:49,840 --> 00:26:53,440 Speaker 1: in addition to utilizing many different mantras and the ones 412 00:26:53,480 --> 00:26:57,960 Speaker 1: I've given already, I have one word that I use 413 00:26:58,280 --> 00:27:02,840 Speaker 1: to change my focus to get me where I need 414 00:27:02,880 --> 00:27:08,080 Speaker 1: to be, especially at the hardest parts of the race. 415 00:27:09,040 --> 00:27:16,400 Speaker 1: And that word is B B. And for me, it's 416 00:27:16,440 --> 00:27:20,520 Speaker 1: just being in the moment. And I sometimes will make 417 00:27:20,520 --> 00:27:24,119 Speaker 1: it a little longer and it's let it be, but 418 00:27:24,200 --> 00:27:28,280 Speaker 1: it's just be. And that's what you learned during these 419 00:27:28,280 --> 00:27:33,080 Speaker 1: events is just be in the the absolute moment. You 420 00:27:33,160 --> 00:27:36,439 Speaker 1: don't think one step ahead, you don't think about what 421 00:27:36,600 --> 00:27:41,320 Speaker 1: happened behind you. It's just one foot in front of 422 00:27:41,359 --> 00:27:44,760 Speaker 1: the other, or one pedal stroke or one swim stroke. 423 00:27:45,200 --> 00:27:51,320 Speaker 1: Just be And it is so powerful for me at 424 00:27:51,440 --> 00:27:54,480 Speaker 1: one word. And I know that one of my mentors, 425 00:27:54,560 --> 00:28:00,240 Speaker 1: Natasha Bodman, a woman who I am just she's so amazed, easing. 426 00:28:00,320 --> 00:28:02,720 Speaker 1: I wrote a lot about her during my master's work, 427 00:28:02,760 --> 00:28:05,600 Speaker 1: and she would finish with a smile on her face 428 00:28:06,040 --> 00:28:10,040 Speaker 1: no matter how bad you know her race went or 429 00:28:10,080 --> 00:28:13,199 Speaker 1: how bad she felt. That one person I got the 430 00:28:13,280 --> 00:28:16,480 Speaker 1: smile thing from. And she supposed she wouldn't share it 431 00:28:16,560 --> 00:28:19,000 Speaker 1: or didn't share it. She had one German words she 432 00:28:19,040 --> 00:28:21,720 Speaker 1: would use, she said during the bike when things would 433 00:28:21,800 --> 00:28:25,400 Speaker 1: get crazy. But for me it's b and that applies 434 00:28:25,440 --> 00:28:29,240 Speaker 1: to life as well. When times are stressful and you've 435 00:28:29,240 --> 00:28:32,040 Speaker 1: got the self talk, just be in the moment, do 436 00:28:32,119 --> 00:28:35,160 Speaker 1: what you need to do at that very moment. Don't 437 00:28:35,200 --> 00:28:38,239 Speaker 1: think ten minutes ahead, do what you need to do 438 00:28:38,360 --> 00:28:42,160 Speaker 1: right then. And so for me that mood word and 439 00:28:42,160 --> 00:28:45,000 Speaker 1: and it takes the focus off of the negative and 440 00:28:45,080 --> 00:28:47,200 Speaker 1: it just puts me where I need to be. So 441 00:28:47,280 --> 00:28:50,200 Speaker 1: that's it. Shared a little embarrassing, but again, just be 442 00:28:51,360 --> 00:28:54,160 Speaker 1: and with the way I say it, now and the 443 00:28:54,160 --> 00:28:57,680 Speaker 1: way it affects me during a race totally different. But 444 00:28:57,760 --> 00:29:04,240 Speaker 1: I can use it throughout any any event, whether it's business, professional, family. Uh, 445 00:29:04,280 --> 00:29:09,160 Speaker 1: just be there, you go. As Hamlet said, nothing is 446 00:29:09,200 --> 00:29:14,640 Speaker 1: either good or bad, but thinking makes it so. All right. 447 00:29:14,960 --> 00:29:18,320 Speaker 1: Quick look at the studies. Just to show you that 448 00:29:18,920 --> 00:29:21,600 Speaker 1: there are so many. I just pulled a couple because 449 00:29:21,600 --> 00:29:24,000 Speaker 1: I always want you to have some idea of what's 450 00:29:24,000 --> 00:29:26,000 Speaker 1: going on, what's out there where this all comes from. 451 00:29:26,360 --> 00:29:29,400 Speaker 1: So I got three to our sports and meta analysis 452 00:29:29,440 --> 00:29:31,320 Speaker 1: just to show you. They looked at all the other ones. 453 00:29:31,320 --> 00:29:33,680 Speaker 1: So instead of going specific, looked at the ones that 454 00:29:33,720 --> 00:29:37,760 Speaker 1: looked at a handful of studies. So Psychology of Sports 455 00:29:37,760 --> 00:29:42,080 Speaker 1: and Exercise, January two tho nine. The study was Mechanisms 456 00:29:42,160 --> 00:29:46,600 Speaker 1: underlying the self talk performance relationship. The effects of motivational 457 00:29:46,800 --> 00:29:50,959 Speaker 1: self talk on self confidence and anxiety. So I know 458 00:29:51,000 --> 00:29:53,920 Speaker 1: that I keep talking about the sports analogies and everything 459 00:29:53,920 --> 00:29:55,760 Speaker 1: like that, and and many of you are doing that, 460 00:29:55,800 --> 00:29:59,400 Speaker 1: but it's just for life. I'm only racing a couple 461 00:29:59,400 --> 00:30:02,160 Speaker 1: of times a year, but you know we're we're dealing 462 00:30:02,160 --> 00:30:07,080 Speaker 1: with life all day long. So I use this self 463 00:30:07,120 --> 00:30:10,760 Speaker 1: talk all the time. The objectives of This study was 464 00:30:10,880 --> 00:30:15,720 Speaker 1: to examine the effects of motivational self talk on self confidence, anxiety, 465 00:30:16,160 --> 00:30:19,880 Speaker 1: and task performance in young athletes. They looked at seventy 466 00:30:19,880 --> 00:30:22,920 Speaker 1: two tennis players, so this was not a meta analysis, 467 00:30:22,960 --> 00:30:26,480 Speaker 1: just the study of seventy two tennis players. And if 468 00:30:26,520 --> 00:30:29,840 Speaker 1: there's a sport people and those of you who play tennis, 469 00:30:29,840 --> 00:30:32,760 Speaker 1: self talk John McEnroe, I mean he would oftentimes say 470 00:30:32,760 --> 00:30:35,280 Speaker 1: it out loud too, but you get down on yourself. 471 00:30:35,320 --> 00:30:38,680 Speaker 1: So I'm not gonna get into the differences and specifics 472 00:30:38,720 --> 00:30:43,720 Speaker 1: team sports versus individual sports. Individual athletes. That's why many 473 00:30:43,760 --> 00:30:47,320 Speaker 1: of them have sports psychologists. And what are the sports 474 00:30:47,320 --> 00:30:50,600 Speaker 1: psychologists do they train them in the self talk. There's 475 00:30:50,640 --> 00:30:54,719 Speaker 1: a huge part of the sports psychology connection to sports 476 00:30:54,800 --> 00:30:57,080 Speaker 1: world and individual sports because you have no one else 477 00:30:57,120 --> 00:30:59,280 Speaker 1: to blame it on but yourself. And when that self 478 00:30:59,320 --> 00:31:05,800 Speaker 1: talk goes sideways, you go sideways. And when I was 479 00:31:06,000 --> 00:31:09,640 Speaker 1: playing team sports, I loved getting in the head of 480 00:31:09,640 --> 00:31:13,960 Speaker 1: the other players using the self talk and using those 481 00:31:14,320 --> 00:31:19,080 Speaker 1: sports psychology tools to turn their self talk negative get 482 00:31:19,120 --> 00:31:23,880 Speaker 1: them off their game. I love this the connection. It's 483 00:31:24,000 --> 00:31:27,840 Speaker 1: it's just amazing. The conclusions of this study really simple. 484 00:31:28,480 --> 00:31:31,640 Speaker 1: It showed that self talk can enhance self confidence and 485 00:31:31,720 --> 00:31:36,520 Speaker 1: reduce cognitive anxiety. Furthermore, it suggested that increases in self 486 00:31:36,560 --> 00:31:40,520 Speaker 1: confidence can be regarded as a viable function, explaining the 487 00:31:40,560 --> 00:31:46,280 Speaker 1: facilitating effects of self talk on performance. It's connected perfect 488 00:31:46,840 --> 00:31:51,280 Speaker 1: subject group, right, tennis players, young tennis players. Second study 489 00:31:51,480 --> 00:31:57,320 Speaker 1: two thousand eleven, Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, The 490 00:31:57,360 --> 00:32:00,080 Speaker 1: Effects of self talk a systematic review. All right, so 491 00:32:00,160 --> 00:32:03,840 Speaker 1: meta analysis of forty seven studies that were analyzed and 492 00:32:04,680 --> 00:32:09,600 Speaker 1: simple takeaway the results indicated beneficial effects of positive, instructional 493 00:32:10,000 --> 00:32:13,720 Speaker 1: and motivational self talk for performance. And that's what I 494 00:32:13,760 --> 00:32:19,200 Speaker 1: just talked about. Instructional, right, skill acquisition, you're gonna use 495 00:32:19,240 --> 00:32:25,280 Speaker 1: it for and motivational for your mood, your arousal level, 496 00:32:26,480 --> 00:32:30,680 Speaker 1: and your confidence. All right, and positive. This one did 497 00:32:30,720 --> 00:32:35,280 Speaker 1: look at the positive, right. And finally, another meta analysis 498 00:32:35,320 --> 00:32:38,240 Speaker 1: that looked at thirty two studies self talk and sports 499 00:32:38,240 --> 00:32:43,680 Speaker 1: performance a meta analysis Perspectives on Psychological Science, and this 500 00:32:43,760 --> 00:32:47,120 Speaker 1: was in two thousand and eleven as well, and the 501 00:32:47,160 --> 00:32:50,360 Speaker 1: results of this study established the effectiveness of self talking 502 00:32:50,440 --> 00:32:53,280 Speaker 1: sport and encourages the use of self talk as a 503 00:32:53,320 --> 00:32:59,200 Speaker 1: strategy to yes again, facilitate learning and enhance performance. And 504 00:32:59,240 --> 00:33:02,200 Speaker 1: this goes for an a task, the thoughts you have 505 00:33:02,280 --> 00:33:06,080 Speaker 1: in your head if you're playing an instrument. If you 506 00:33:06,120 --> 00:33:11,000 Speaker 1: say I stink I suck at this, you feel guilty 507 00:33:11,000 --> 00:33:14,280 Speaker 1: saying that. Good Catholic. And I don't say that stuff. 508 00:33:14,800 --> 00:33:16,720 Speaker 1: I don't say it because it's so negative and it 509 00:33:16,760 --> 00:33:21,040 Speaker 1: doesn't it doesn't do anything but have negative effects on 510 00:33:21,080 --> 00:33:24,280 Speaker 1: the body. And so yeah, and you don't only throw 511 00:33:24,320 --> 00:33:27,120 Speaker 1: one more in there. In two thousand fourteen the Journal 512 00:33:27,240 --> 00:33:31,240 Speaker 1: of Personality and Social Psychology, Uh, and this one, Oh, yes, 513 00:33:31,320 --> 00:33:32,840 Speaker 1: I have to put in here because this is the 514 00:33:32,840 --> 00:33:36,240 Speaker 1: one that has nothing to do with sports performance. So 515 00:33:36,320 --> 00:33:39,000 Speaker 1: I had to put one in here to show you that, Yes, 516 00:33:39,040 --> 00:33:42,960 Speaker 1: it's everyday life as well. And this was titled self 517 00:33:42,960 --> 00:33:46,400 Speaker 1: talk as a regulatory mechanism. How you do it matters? 518 00:33:47,280 --> 00:33:49,400 Speaker 1: And here's what they were looking at. Does the language 519 00:33:49,440 --> 00:33:54,400 Speaker 1: people use to refer to themselves during introspection influence how 520 00:33:54,440 --> 00:33:58,160 Speaker 1: they think, feel, and behave under social stress? I think 521 00:33:58,640 --> 00:34:02,360 Speaker 1: common sense would say yes. And they wanted to know also, 522 00:34:02,760 --> 00:34:06,040 Speaker 1: do these effects extend to socially anxious people who are 523 00:34:06,080 --> 00:34:10,000 Speaker 1: particularly vulnerable to such stress? And there were seven studies 524 00:34:10,000 --> 00:34:13,320 Speaker 1: in this one, and the findings demonstrated that even small 525 00:34:13,360 --> 00:34:16,440 Speaker 1: shifts in the language people use to refer to themselves 526 00:34:17,080 --> 00:34:22,360 Speaker 1: during introspection influence their ability to regulate their thoughts, feelings, 527 00:34:22,400 --> 00:34:28,319 Speaker 1: and behavior under social stress, even for the most vulnerable. So, 528 00:34:28,400 --> 00:34:34,319 Speaker 1: those of you who have anxiety, I get it, I 529 00:34:34,440 --> 00:34:37,719 Speaker 1: get it, I've been there. Many are. Yes, you take 530 00:34:37,719 --> 00:34:40,000 Speaker 1: medication for it, and you should to listen to what 531 00:34:40,120 --> 00:34:44,239 Speaker 1: your doctor says. But like everything else, let's try to 532 00:34:44,280 --> 00:34:46,880 Speaker 1: do what we can do. Let's try to utilize the 533 00:34:46,920 --> 00:34:51,680 Speaker 1: tools we have before us. Let's control those thoughts, let's 534 00:34:51,760 --> 00:34:55,160 Speaker 1: build that positive self efficacy. You know, I don't just 535 00:34:55,200 --> 00:34:57,600 Speaker 1: say those things at the end of the show. The 536 00:34:58,000 --> 00:35:00,719 Speaker 1: three things we can control how much we move, what 537 00:35:00,880 --> 00:35:04,600 Speaker 1: we put our mouths, and our attitude. And truthfully, if 538 00:35:04,600 --> 00:35:07,560 Speaker 1: you don't have that third component in place, you're not 539 00:35:07,600 --> 00:35:09,520 Speaker 1: gonna be doing the first two. You know, the greatest 540 00:35:09,560 --> 00:35:11,680 Speaker 1: line I just read in a recent article love It. 541 00:35:12,400 --> 00:35:15,359 Speaker 1: It said what we have in our heads are just 542 00:35:15,480 --> 00:35:18,279 Speaker 1: as important as what we have on our plate. And 543 00:35:18,320 --> 00:35:22,520 Speaker 1: it was an article on shocking you know, weight loss. 544 00:35:24,160 --> 00:35:26,359 Speaker 1: But if you don't have that third component, if you've 545 00:35:26,360 --> 00:35:28,600 Speaker 1: got the negative self talk, what does that lead to? 546 00:35:29,080 --> 00:35:35,920 Speaker 1: Moving less and eating more comfort food. So when I 547 00:35:36,000 --> 00:35:41,399 Speaker 1: also end the show with believe in yourself, that's why 548 00:35:42,000 --> 00:35:45,919 Speaker 1: it's the self efficacy and so many people and I've 549 00:35:45,960 --> 00:35:48,280 Speaker 1: been in that deep dark place, and that's one reason 550 00:35:48,320 --> 00:35:52,680 Speaker 1: I am where I am now. It's because, as my 551 00:35:52,800 --> 00:35:56,200 Speaker 1: high school year of quote said, you gotta go through 552 00:35:56,200 --> 00:36:00,920 Speaker 1: hell to get to heaven. But know that you are 553 00:36:00,960 --> 00:36:03,680 Speaker 1: in control of your thoughts. And I know it's challenging, 554 00:36:03,960 --> 00:36:05,520 Speaker 1: and I know that when you've got people coming at 555 00:36:05,520 --> 00:36:10,040 Speaker 1: you from all directions and negative things happening, but you've 556 00:36:10,040 --> 00:36:13,799 Speaker 1: got to reframe it. You've got to reframe it, and 557 00:36:13,880 --> 00:36:16,040 Speaker 1: you have to control that self talk in your head 558 00:36:16,480 --> 00:36:19,320 Speaker 1: and be aware of it. What are you saying about yourself? 559 00:36:21,000 --> 00:36:24,200 Speaker 1: Change it for the positive, and you will change your 560 00:36:24,239 --> 00:36:26,800 Speaker 1: life for the better. And if you are a sports 561 00:36:26,800 --> 00:36:30,440 Speaker 1: performance person, if you're trying to achieve something in the 562 00:36:30,520 --> 00:36:34,800 Speaker 1: sports world, you're probably already doing this and you need 563 00:36:34,840 --> 00:36:38,920 Speaker 1: to focus on it. The mental game is just as 564 00:36:38,920 --> 00:36:41,040 Speaker 1: important that the as the physical. Now, you've got to 565 00:36:41,040 --> 00:36:44,560 Speaker 1: have the physical attributes first, but when you're up against 566 00:36:44,560 --> 00:36:48,200 Speaker 1: the others who have the same physical attributes, the person 567 00:36:48,239 --> 00:36:51,520 Speaker 1: who wins is the person who has all of their 568 00:36:51,560 --> 00:36:58,319 Speaker 1: mental game tricks in order, especially self talk. All right, 569 00:36:59,719 --> 00:37:01,920 Speaker 1: I'm really wanted to do like five hours and you're 570 00:37:01,960 --> 00:37:04,960 Speaker 1: all pretty lucky. I hope you enjoyed the show. If 571 00:37:05,000 --> 00:37:08,440 Speaker 1: you have two seconds, please rate it. Thank you for 572 00:37:08,520 --> 00:37:11,080 Speaker 1: doing so. If you did already, leave me a comment 573 00:37:11,160 --> 00:37:13,440 Speaker 1: a question, I will answer those as well. You go 574 00:37:13,480 --> 00:37:16,560 Speaker 1: to Fitness Disrupted dot com shoot me an email through there. 575 00:37:16,560 --> 00:37:20,440 Speaker 1: I will answer questions in future shows, the Stener mail 576 00:37:20,480 --> 00:37:24,120 Speaker 1: Bag shows, and again, just thank you and I want 577 00:37:24,160 --> 00:37:28,640 Speaker 1: you to do this today. Focus on what yourself talk 578 00:37:28,800 --> 00:37:32,920 Speaker 1: is and what you have in your head is what 579 00:37:32,960 --> 00:37:37,239 Speaker 1: your body believes negative and positive, and but you have 580 00:37:37,360 --> 00:37:41,279 Speaker 1: in your head dictates how you live your life. Thank 581 00:37:41,280 --> 00:37:45,319 Speaker 1: you for listening. I am Tom Holland this is Fitness Disrupted. 582 00:37:46,160 --> 00:37:56,799 Speaker 1: Believe in yourself. Fitness Disrupted is a production of I 583 00:37:57,000 --> 00:38:00,120 Speaker 1: Heart Radio. For more podcast from my Heart Radio O, 584 00:38:00,520 --> 00:38:03,960 Speaker 1: visit the I heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever 585 00:38:04,000 --> 00:38:05,560 Speaker 1: you listen to your favorite shows