2 Ways to Use Your 'Negative Self-Talk' to Your Advantage

"Negative self-talk was found to have a positive impact and lead to better performance on the second round of the test. This happened possibly because it created a state of heightened attention and internal motivation. People became more alert and focused after criticizing themselves. Positive self-talk was linked to changes in brain connectivity that improved executive functions such as planning, reasoning, and decision-making. However, it also gave rise to a degree of false confidence."

"Ample research lends support to positive self-talk as a reliable booster for confidence and engagement. But when the balance tips too far, it can sometimes make people overconfident. This overconfidence may lead you to overlook mistakes, underestimate challenges, or ignore feedback you actually need to grow. In other words, too much self-assurance can inadvertently shut down your self-awareness. Negative self-talk, surprisingly, can sharpen focus and drive. However, it's only beneficial when it leads to self-correction, rather than self-blame."

Different forms of self-talk produce distinct cognitive and neural effects. Negative self-talk can increase alertness, internal motivation, and improve subsequent problem-solving performance when it prompts corrective action rather than self-punishment. Positive self-talk enhances brain connectivity related to executive functions, supporting planning, reasoning, and decision-making, but can also inflate confidence and produce a mismatch between perceived and actual ability. Excessive positive self-assurance may lead to overlooking errors, underestimating challenges, or ignoring needed feedback. The functional value of self-criticism depends on using inner critique to guide learning and action instead of fostering rumination and blame.

Read at Psychology Today