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.

Have you ever been in 'the zone' when playing cricket?

If you have you know how good it feels and how much better your performance is, but you may not know that you can get there at will with the right training and tactics.

What is the zone?

The zone is that time when you are just playing. You are completely engrossed in your performance, unaware of anything else. You have no worries or distractions and you are not even making conscious decisions.

Club cricketers don't practice much. There is not the culture, enthusiasm or time to do so regularly. How do club players get around this?

Have you resolved to have a better cricket season this year?

In the UK it's a great time to start working towards that goal as indoor nets start across the country. You have enough time to get stronger, fitter, faster and more skilful before you even face a ball in anger.

But just as 90% of people who resolve to get fit in January give up, you might find yourself overwhelmed and unmotivated.

In the 1960s it was found out that the amount of self-discipline you have at the age of 4 is related to the amount of success you have as an adult.

The simplest explanation behind this is that success is built around your ability to stay in control.

This is especially true in cricket: A game that requires long periods of intense concentration. Here is how to train yourself to improve your discipline.

Celebrity interviewer and journalist Michael Parkinson was on the radio recently saying something that rings very true. He said that out of all the great sportsmen and women he has interviewed over the years, none were stupid.

What he was saying was this: knowledge is a vital part of sport performance.

I admit it. I throw a lot of information about cricket fitness at you. It can be confusing to know what to do next.

I even confuse myself sometimes.

But there is a simple way to get fit for cricket (apart from subscribing of course).

The secret is nothing more that this:

Just start

It doesn't matter if you have the right balance of exercises or how much rest you are getting. It's doesn't matter if you are running too slowly or if one exercise routine is better than another.

One of the most difficult problems to overcome as a club cricketer is inconsistency: One week you get a hundred, the next week you are heading in head down after a golden duck.

There are a lot of reasons for this: less time to practice, less talent than (most) first class players and only playing once or twice a week for example.

But none of these things are in your control.

There is a simple trick that you can do that helps you to play better cricket on a consistent basis.

The press coverage of Paul Collingwood is that his run scoring is less about talent and more about being gritty and determined.

If pure determination is capable of a Test double century then it must be a tool that you can use to improve your game too. But what do we mean when we refer to determination and grit?