“I’m not usually good at this” is a sentence I’ve used many times. As humans, we often downplay our abilities before entering a situation, hoping it will soften the blow if we happen to mess up or make a mistake. While this may seem like self-protection, negative self-talk is not actually helpful. Research suggests negative internal dialogue does more harm than good and creates negative outcomes that wouldn’t have occurred otherwise. 

A recent study published by the National Library of Medicine found a close association between negative self-talk and cognitive performance. When individuals expect themselves to perform poorly, they often do. This mindset can interfere with focus, confidence and motivation. Along with negative self-talk decreasing performance, repetition of a task also creates motivational fatigue, which leads to a task being completed less well than it would have been if it were completed only once. 

Negative self-talk also affects mental and physical health. For example, I’ve stressed myself out over little things, leading to physical reactions like having a stomachache or throwing up. And recently, I had a huge workload and became so overwhelmed it felt like I had a pit in my stomach, and I went to bed at 8 p.m. two days in a row. Other mental disorders that can come about from negative self-talk include social anxiety and depression. 

There are more extreme cases, like eating disorders. A study from Psychology Today discussed the links between self-criticism and eating disorders, as those with eating disorders are likely to exacerbate their condition through negative self-talk. And when an eating disorder worsens, the effects can be as severe as being hospitalized. 

However, there are ways to combat negative self-talk, such as through self-compassion, which is the complete opposite. Instead of being negative toward yourself when trying something new, try saying something positive. This can lead to better outcomes in not just one project, but also your daily life.