Rory Best insists Ulster's emerging young stars shouldn't be seduced into thinking they have time on their sides to deliver silverware.
Ulster's season ended in agonising fashion last weekend against the Stormers in Cape Town, Manie Libbok's conversion eight minutes into added time a painful pill to swallow for Dan McFarland's side.
It denied the province of a place in the United Rugby Championship final, and a chance to win a first trophy in 16 years.
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Former captain Best believes some of the philosophy surrounding McFarland's squad needs to change, or Ulster 's silverware drought could drag on.
"I think they have to be very careful. We said it after the Toulouse game, this wording of 'it's a project'. The squad has enough talent to win a league," Best told BBC's The Ulster Rugby Show.
"These young players haven't been bitten by failure, like we we were in an Ulster jersey. But if you allow them to say, 'ah sure, it's just a project' and 'sure, I have 10 years to win it'. That is a poor mindset to adopt.
"And for me, there needs to be a real message of don't let your career slip by, like we did. We had plenty of success elsewhere, but there wouldn't have been anything more special than winning in an Ulster Jersey.
"If you keep excusing that, the same thing will happen every year."
Former winger Tommy Bowe admits one of his greatest regrets is not winning more trophies with Ulster.
He feels the Celtic League success of 2006 should have been the start of a trophy-laden era for the province.
"It is the one regret I think Rory and I both have. After 2006 we felt at that stage that this crop would win multiple titles, and unfortunately we didn't," Bowe said.
"And it is something that still bites us. We both dream and hope Ulster can do it. We were all devastated last weekend, because we believe this team has the ability to do it.
"And we hope they do it very soon."
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