pep talk

n. Informal
A speech of exhortation, as to a team or staff, meant to instill enthusiasm or bolster morale.

A talk aimed at heightening arousal. In sport, pep talks are usually given just before a competition or during an interval in play. They are a traditional, almost ritualistic, feature of managerial talks to soccer teams and often include exhortations to try harder. This may help some performers to reach an optimal level of arousal, but can cause others to become over-aroused and anxious, leading to a poor performance.

Invigorate someone or cheer someone up, as in This drink will pep you up, or The good news about his recovery pepped us up. [1920s] Both the verb pep and the noun pep, denoting vigor and energy since about 1910, are abbreviations for pepper, a spice with a pungent, biting quality. They also have given rise to pep rally, a meeting to inspire enthusiasm [c. 1940], and pep talk, a speech meant to instill enthusiasm or bolster morale [1920s].

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A motivational strategy aimed at heightening arousal. Pep talks are usually given prior to competition or during an interval in play. They are a characteristic feature of managerial talks to football teams before a game and at half-time. Exhortations to try harder may help some athletes to reach an optimal level of arousal, but may cause others to become overaroused.

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