GI $
122 CHAPTER 5I keep studying this material, I know that I’ll learn it”), whereas other
forms of inner speech lead to unproductive behavior (e.g., “I’ll never
solve these problems” or “Why did I ever take this class?”).
Self-talk is an important strategy for self-management. Individuals
who exhibit inappropriate self-talk often act inappropriately. If more
appropriate self-talk is introduced, behavior can be changed. The
emphasis, therefore, is on changing negative self-talk to positive self-
talk. The theory behind self-talk training is that inner speech influ-
ences cognition (thinking) and emotions, and ultimately guides our
behavior.
Meichenbaum (1977) showed how self-talk can be used to modify
the behavior of students who were anxious or impulsive. He success-
fully trained students to replace negative self-statements like “I can’t
do this” or “I’m not good at it” with positive self-statements like “If
I concentrate I can solve the problems” or “I just need to relax and
carefully read each problem.” The training led to improved perform-
ance on tasks. Self-talk also has been used to control anxiety, mood,
and other emotional responses.
A good example of the impact of self-talk is discussed by Gallwey
(1974) in his book The Inner Game of Tennis. Gallwey said that ten-
nis, like other sports, is composed of two parts, an outer game and
an inner game. The outer game consists of mastering the techniques
of how to play the game (e.g., how to serve and use one’s backhand).
The inner game takes place in the mind of the player and is basically
the self-talk one uses while he or she is playing. Compare the dia-
logue of two different tennis players:I’m hitting my forehand rotten again today... Dammit,
why do I keep missing those easy set ups... I’m not doing
anything the coach told me to do in my last lesson. You
were great rallying, now you’re playing worse than your
grandmother... (p. 82).
The last three of my backhands landed long, by about two
feet. My racket seems to be hesitating, instead of following
through all the way. Maybe I should observe the level of my
backswing... yes, I thought so, it’s well above my waist....
There, that shot got hit with more pace, yet it stayed in (p. 83).How do you think such talk influenced each player’s game?
A sports commentator once said that there was little difference in
the ability (i.e., outer game) of the top 20 ranked tennis players in the
world. What sets them apart is their mental approach to the game
(i.e., their inner game). There is evidence that the “inner game” plays
an important role in individual success in all endeavors—at work,