James says this about unanswered prayer; You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.
Are you praying that your character would reflect Jesus that your love for others would grow and you would mature in the Lord and be useful for the kingdom of God? Or are you praying for temporal things like a good job and a hot girlfriend. jesus talks about he who loses His life for Christ's sake is the one who finds it and he who keeps this life is going to lose it. Here are a couple prayers Paul offers for the believers in the book of ephesians. if you pray like this for yourself and others there will be an amazing transformation. Eph 3: 14 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,[fn] 15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— 19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
If you start praying like this and grow in your love , devotion and understanding of God you will find the center of God's will for your life. He will take your temporal understanding of how to spend your life and pour over the purpose God has for you. You are given a circle of family friends and aquaintences to have a sphere of influence over. In this realm God want s you to glorify his name and proclaim his salvation and this attitude will effect all the other areas of your life.
One other observation is its seems that your definition of prayer is asking God for things. That is one aspect of prayer. But how about prayers of thanksgiving or prayers of worship. The Lord has given us eternal life and forgiveness of sins and when we reflect on that an overflowing heart of gratitude and praise will pour out. Look here in heaven Rev 5 john records that a seal scroll was presented and no one was found worthy to open it in heaven or earth and john wept much. The angel then tells John not to weep for the Lion of the Tribe of Judah has prevailed to take the scroll and open its seals.
Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9 And they sang a new song, saying:
“You are worthy to take the scroll,
And to open its seals;
For You were slain,
And have redeemed us to God by Your blood
Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,
10 And have made us[fn] kings[fn] and priests to our God;
And we[fn] shall reign on the earth.”
Do you see in heaven the significance of Jesus victory over sin and death. The destiny of the saved is to rule and reign with Jesus in the kingdom age. Get an eternal perspective and pray accordingly.