why can't I get over the hump?

Just knocked out in 65th out of 360 (my As10s nabbed by AJo on a board of A A 6 K 9 rainbow). I fealt like I played the hand good (until I saw his cards) but obviously he played it better. I seem to get down towards the bubble and can't get over the hump. Yes, I've had some final tables including a 2nd, 3rd, and 4th place in 180 person SNG's but that's few and far between. More often then not I am finishing on the bubble.

It's driving me nuts. I feel like I have my money in right each time I am going out, usually the favorite.

I think I have a problem gaining those extra chips. I use position to my advantage especially with the bigger blinds late in a tourney, but just can't get over the hump.

I am still faring okay, my stats say i'm in the money 30% of the time but even most of those are just after the money started. Can't land that big win that I am looking for although I feel fairly good about my play (yes, I am no where near where I wanna be).

Anyone else have this problem and if so what did you do to solve it, or are you still working on it?

I feel ya man. I always tend to finish just in the money or right out of it. I can never come away with that big win either on the MTTs. Ive notices playing loose when the blinds are low and bluffing more on the button has helped my chip stack more for later in the rounds recently.

How do you usually go out, pokernut?

Is it with a big bang when your hand gets cracked by a lesser one or do you slowly dwindle your stack away by playing too tight?

Try posting some HHs of key hands and the hands you go bust with, and maybe someone can help you out.

ChuckTs---I will post some HH as they come. I usually go out with a bang. I always feel like I have the upperhand but my reads aren't always great when I'm short stacked as you can see in the OP. I get to the point where I make a move when I think my stack is getting well below avg. but I feel like I have some fold equity still when raising big but not having to put my whole stack in. If I don't hit and put my opponent on a hand after the flop I will get away from it still at this point. I think my stack at this point affects my read though for some reason.