It's always seemed to me that 'visualising success' is one of those wishy-washy new age things that should never work.

Success, in my view, comes from hard work and laser focussed training, not lying back and imagining how good you can be.

In fact, visualisation is a proven vital element executing the skills you learn in practice (word doc).

It seems everyone does it all the time.

However it can be used for good or evil.

Research has shown that setting yourself effective cricket goals can lead to an improvement of up to 78% in your game.

It's also one of the simplest techniques to employ in your efforts to becoming a better cricketer. All you need is a pen, paper and 10 minutes or so.

We have all had games we want to forget. Out for a duck, smashed all over the park and looking like the village idiot in the field.

Failure is inevitable because perfection is impossible in cricket.

If Bradman couldn't be perfect how can you be?

What you can do is bounce back from your failures as quickly as possible, even if it seems like you will never get another run or wicket, there is always a way out given the right approach.

Cricket is no different to life: Teams and individuals operate best when they feel in control of a situation.

Unfortunately, the unpredictability of a cricket match makes it hard to keep this feeling. It's also why you find so many superstitious cricketers with lucky socks putting their left shoe on first: It provides the illusion of control.

Mental training for cricket is just as important as having a net. In as little as 10 minutes a day you could improve your cricket without even having to pick up a bat.

What are the signs you could benefit from mental training?

• You train and play with no real aims in mind.
• You let your mistakes get to you.

Go to any club cricket ground on a warm, sunny summers afternoon and it will not take you long to find a scene that is familiar to us all.

The bowler poised at the top of his run, fielders walking in and the batsmen set in his guard. Everyone in a state of readiness, poised for what comes next with a centered, balanced, aware, and open state of mind.

In Top Gun, Tom Cruise looked cool in his Ray-Bans. Many men tried to emulate his effortless machismo (and still do). In a way, you can emulate him too, but not to look good: To improve your cricket.

As we have talked about before, it takes around 10,000 hours of playing and practicing cricket to get really good at it.

Picture yourself playing for your country: The pinnacle of cricketing achievement.

How realistic a dream is it to you?

If you are anything like me no doubt you still think it's possible. It might be the faintest hope going (I'm 31 and never played first class cricket) but it's still secretly in there.

Ignoring that crazy pride and looking at the facts: 99% of people who play cricket will never go on to represent their country. Does that mean you can only succeed if you are in that lucky talented 1%?

Of all the clichés in sport, 'think positive' must be up there with the best. What does that it mean and can it improve your game of cricket?

Used right, a positive mental outlook can make a big difference to your game.

Many studies over the last 40 years have looked into the power of mental training and have found:

Jack Nicklaus is renowned for saying that the more he practiced, the luckier he got. It's a great philosophy but it ignores an important factor.

You don't have to do things perfectly to win.