ABSTRACT
Perhaps you’ve watched a tennis match on television and noticed that some of the players seem to have a habit of talking to themselves. The legendary champion John McEnroe was particularly noted for practicing this behavior on court in front of a stadium full of spectators. Psychologists commenting on McEnroe’s self-talk tended to agree that he was doing something very useful. McEnroe’s self-talk-often he would berate himself-served as a means of focusing his attention, helping him to concentrate under difficult conditions, and reminding him why he was out there, which was to play his best.
