There are three factors that influence our sporting ability; our fitness, our technical skills and our mental skills. Although many sports performers will spend a lot of their time on their fitness and technical skills, the mental side of the game is often neglected. And yet it is amazing how good we can be at using our minds to work against us. Even before we start an activity, we can can often find a number of reasons for failure - doubt, bad weather, lack of practice, tiredness, anxiety, stress - and find ourselves living up (or 'down') to our expectations.

Essentially, we can find ourselves performing badly because we are not using our minds in a positive way. As a result, we can form limiting beliefs about ourselves which leave us expecting failure rather than success.

By changing how we use our minds when we approach a game - by enhancing self-belief, dealing with how we respond to committing errors, setting goals and maintaining a positive attitude - it is possible to make a significant impact on our performance levels.

Andy Barton is a London-based sports psychologist working with sports performers of all abilities, from Premiership footballers, International Athletes and European PGA golf professionals to keen amateurs, to help them to improve their ability and enjoyment of their sport quickly and effectively.