We've all had days where we hit the wall mid-workout or leave the gym knowing we weren’t at our best. But rather than beat yourself up, a large new study suggests that a certain motivational technique might help you crush it next time—though you might feel a bit funny doing it.

According to research published in the journal the most effective way to stay on track with your goals is actually super simple: Give yourself a good old-fashioned pep talk. Out loud.