1-2-3

Use in weekday Shemoneh Esrei, for the middle 13 request brachas, although not directly applicable to Shema Koleinu.

Pause before each bracha, think about the following three ideas, counting them off one-by-one on your fingers (see the Viznette for more elaboration):

1. This bracha is for something that is absolutely good.
2. Only H-shem can make this happen.
3. So say it like you mean it!

Viznette

Point #1: Since the men of the Anshei Knesses HaGedolah included this bracha in the Shemoneh Esrei, there's no way you can argue against its subject being worth davening for. So the following example argument cannot be applied:

I'm sick today, so I need to stay home from work. How do I know that it's a good thing for me to daven to get better by tomorrow? If I get better by tomorrow, then I would go to work. But something bad might happen to my car while it is parked in the parking lot at work tomorrow, like it could get a big dent in the passenger-side door that would cost a lot to fix. How am I to say whether it is better for me to get well by tomorrow?

No. Wrong. Since it's in the Shemoneh Esrei, it trumps any other kind of reasoning for why you wouldn't pray for it. That holds no matter whether "it" is health, prosperity, restoration of David HaMelech's line of monarchy, or what have you.

Point #2: Keep in mind that we are davening for H-shem to make these happen. That means that it doesn't happen without His help. Okay, so H-shem is the One Who grants good health and heals ills,

Point #3: So if really something important's on the line, and you're partly responsible for how it works out, how are you going to deal with it?