The Power of Mental Mantras: How Top Performers Use Self-Talk to Succeed

Every guest on Inspired with Alexa von Tobel is asked the same question near the end of their conversation: What’s a mantra that runs through your head?

After 300+ interviews with top founders and leaders, von Tobel noticed a pattern: nearly everyone has a phrase, word, or sentence they return to when facing challenges. This isn’t just anecdotal—neuroscience confirms why it works.

The Science Behind Self-Talk

Researchers have studied positive self-talk for decades. According to psychologist Ethan Kross, using second or third person (“You can do this”) rather than first person (“I can do this”) improves emotional regulation and persistence under stress. Referring to yourself by name or in the third person creates psychological distance, helping you process difficulties as if coaching a friend.

This isn’t motivational fluff—it’s behavioral science with real-world impact. The mind responds to repetition, training neural shortcuts that activate automatically when needed most.

Mantras of Exceptional Founders

Von Tobel’s own mantra is “Get up, dress up, show up.”

• Get up early to own the morning.
• Dress up because how you present yourself signals confidence to your own mind first.
• Show up with 150% energy, intention, and a positive attitude—every day, no matter what happened yesterday.

When that’s not enough, she relies on a second mantra: “Onwards and upwards.” Sometimes, the most powerful action is simply to keep going.

May Habib, founder and CEO of Writer, uses a single word: “Forward.”

“On the tough days, my brain beats to that drum. Forward, forward, forward.”

Repetition under stress turns conscious mantras into near-instinct, providing an automatic anchor for founders navigating uncertainty.

Why This Matters for Leaders

Mindset isn’t a soft skill—it’s a hard one. The words we repeat shape decisions, risks, and resilience. For leaders, a well-chosen mantra can be the difference between quitting and pushing through.

Von Tobel’s journey—from dropping out of Harvard Business School to launching LearnVest during the financial crisis, scaling it to acquisition, and building Inspired Capital—reinforced this belief. The right self-talk isn’t just a habit; it’s a tool for survival and success.