I have now played 36 single table 10 player SNG's and have the following results:

1st place = 4
2nd place = 2
3rd place = 4
4th place = 8
5th - 10th = 18

I am showing a slight loss but that doesn't overly conern me as I am new to the game and expecting to improve. What worries me is that I have finished in 4th place about 25% of the tournaments I have entered. Is this a standard problem when you begin playing SNGs? I am not sure how to over come it.

Granted, this is not a large enough sample to make statistically sound judgments, but for what you have, you can make some general observations.

Your HU play seems to be working, so I wouldn't worry about that until more tourneys prove otherwise.

The first thing that jumps out at me is the bubble placings. As you said, 25% of your finishes are bubble, and that is a big problem IMO. That is not to say 4th is worse than 10th, as someone suggested - unless you are playing for an hourly wage rate. It might feel worse to win 4th rather than 10th, but I'd put my money down on a 4th place finisher before I'd put it down on a 10th place finisher. It is certainly harder to get 4th than it is 10th, which means on average Mr. 4th place is better than Mr. 10th place.

What you need to do is work on surviving the bubble. When you get to that point, really focus on turning a potential 4th place into 3rd place. This is how I play - I want to play the best poker I can every time I sit down, win or lose, taking it one street, one hand, one level, one place at a time. You can "play to win" or "play to money" but you aren't "playing to win" or "playing to money" until you get HU or on the bubble respectively. Just IMO.

Once you are ITM, you do rather well, particularly if you get HU. But to even get that chance you must survive the bubble. If you hit the bubble often with a shortstack, try not to throw it away so quickly on the first marginal "double up" hand you come across, particularly when out of position. Position is more important than your cards at this point, IMO. Give the other shortstack(s) a chance to bust, and unless you are rediculously desperate-stacked, keep survival at the front of your mind. Put a sticky note on your monitor saying "survive the bubble!" if it might help you focus on that goal.