Aberdeen winger Jonny Hayes insists his full focus is on looking up the table rather than being concerned about the Dons being dragged into a relegation scrap.
The Dons sit in a lowly 10th position in the Scottish Premiership following a 10-game winless run, although they have an eight-point cushion over second bottom St Johnstone.
A 1-0 defeat against Rangers at Ibrox was the latest setback for a Dons squad who have struggled to find form during a frustrating season.
They will head into a crucial closing stretch of games without club captain Scott Brown after his sudden departure from Pittodrie was confirmed earlier this week.
Despite their recent form, Jim Goodwin’s men remain in contention for a place in the top six and a late push for a European qualification spot.
They are only five points off Hibernian and Livingston, who occupy fourth and fifth place respectively.
Hayes feels the opportunity is still there for the Dons make their move in a tightly-congested Premiership table.
He said: “I’ve never been one to be looking behind me.
“Regardless of whether it is football or life, you look forward.
“As a football club, we know we should not be where we are. But, the fact of the matter is, we are.
“We need to put more points on the table and move up the table rather than looking behind us.
“Even if you are top of the league, you have to look forward and try to keep going rather than looking behind and worrying.
“That is my outlook.
“At the start of the season, I said it would be a tight league because of the quality of teams this season. Every team has a chance.
“You have three teams at the top who have managed to string winning runs together. The rest of the teams have taken points off each other.
“At the minute it is about finishing best of the rest and we still think we can achieve that.”
Hayes accepts it has been a hugely disappointing campaign for the Dons to date in which they suffered early exits in both domestic cup competitions and head into the closing stretch of the campaign with a fight on to avoid a first bottom six finish since 2013.
The Republic of Ireland international said: “On paper we are a good team, but we haven’t proven that this season.
“It is as simple as that – 0ther teams have been better than us so far.
“We still have a bit of the season remaining to try to correct that.
“So far we haven’t been as good as people maybe thought we were.
“We believe we are better than our league position suggests.
“We have to try and improve that.”
New Dons manager Jim Goodwin has some time to work with his team ahead of their next league match against Hibernian a week on Saturday.
The Dons have only three games left before the split, with the upcoming Pittodrie clash against Hibs followed by a trip to bottom of the league Dundee on April 2 and the visit of Ross County a week later.
It is a crunch period for the Dons as they bid to end the campaign on a positive note and try to avoid being dragged closer to relegation-threatened St Johnstone and Dundee.
Hayes has enjoyed working with the former St Mirren manager, who was appointed as Stephen Glass’ successor at Pittodrie last month.
The former Celtic player said: “He is a positive person who wants to implement his own ideas on the football team, which will of course take time to adapt to.
“He is enthusiastic about the game and he wears his heart on his sleeve.
“So far it’s been good.
“As far as I am concerned, it’s been enjoyable – but then I enjoy training every day.”