How you speak to yourself impacts your workout, strength, confidence, happiness – and even your ability to shed kilos, the latest research reveals. you just have to do it right.
How you speak to yourself impacts your workout, strength, confidence, happiness – and even your ability to shed kilos, the latest research reveals. you just have to do it right.
The perks of positive self-talk aren’t just in your head, says Gabriele Oettingen, a New York University psychologist who’s spent 20 years studying self-talk science, and author of Rethinking Thinking: Inside the New Science of Motivation. When done correctly, it can impact the sympathetic nervous system to temporarily lift blood pressure – a sign of increased energy and motivation.
But just thinking positively to achieve goals is much less ective than we’d expect, Gabriele notes. What is helpful: Tempering a rah-rah attitude – “you can do this!” – with mental mantras in reality. The idea, she says, is to identify the pitfalls standing between you and a goal, then create upbeat scripts to cue you through how you’ll overcome them.
This research-backed technique helps you identify unattainable dreams early on, and gives you the internal encouragement you need to tackle surmountable obstacles before they trip you up, fast-tracking you to success. Gabriele calls her four-step process W.O.O.P.
MAKE A WISH
First, think of a desire you would like to fulfil. It can be big or something smaller, such as wanting to try out that intense new Tabata class at your gym. To strengthen your commitment to the goal, mentally repeat it to yourself. Or use Gabriele’s WOOP app (free fom Visit Woopmylife Website) to record it.
IMAGINE THE OUTCOME
Next, consider how you’ll benefit from achieving the goal. Think details, both short- and long-term. So you might tell yourself: “After completing the class, I’ll feel accomplished, energised, happier – and I’ll even be on the road to dropping some kilos.”
ANTICIPATE OBSTACLES
Now that your wish is solidified, articulate the most critical roadblocks standing in the way of your success. For example: “I’m probably going to feel really exhausted partway through the class and be tempted to give up.” Admitting this to yourself up front means you won’t feel as discouraged if and when you do hit the hurdle later on.
HATCH A PLAN
Finally, map your attack using “If [obstacle], then I will [plan]” sentences. For instance, tell yourself: “If I feel so pooped that I want to quit, then I will take a 30-second water break and remind myself the class is only 45 minutes long.” Visualise yourself carrying out this plan. That way when the roadblock does arise, you’ll automatically react with the scripted solution without even thinking.
THREE LITTLE TALKING TRICKS
Use your name instead of “I”. Saying “You’ve got this, Jackie!” instead of “I can do it!” offers a more objective view of stressors, so you can problem-solve rather than ruminate, according to research from University of Michigan in the US.
Say “don’t”, not “can’t”. Sixty-four per cent of dieters who told themselves they “don’t” indulge in a certain temptation (like dessert) successfully resisted it, versus 39 per cent of those who said they “can’t,” a study in the Journal of Consumer Research found. “Don’t” is more empowering.
Ask “Will you?” In moments of intense insecurity, recast the “If… then…” plan as “If X happens, will you Y?” Your instinct is to answer yes, which turbocharges motivation, reports a study in the journal Psychological Science.
