In a row, the words themselves rarely do the damage. The damage comes from what you do once you have decided the words mean something about you.

What the research says

In a randomised experiment, people who had formed a specific if then plan in advance served themselves less of a tempting food than those who had not. Decisions made ahead of time can hold when in the moment decisions do not. That study was about portion size rather than provocation, so treat it as a principle worth borrowing, not as proof that a prepared line works in an argument.

Strength of evidence: one line of research. A single study, or a theoretical account.