Problems With Our Prayer

I have been making some observations lately about problems in my prayer life. I wonder if the 20s and 30 somethings out there share the same feelings about their prayer lives.
I have been convicted lately in two ways when it comes to my prayer life.
First, I have yet to adapt a lifestyle of continual prayer. I pray daily but I don't think I pray the way I am convinced elderly saints pray. I wonder if the wise and elderly believers I look up to had this same problem when they were 26 going on 27? 1 Thess. 5:17 really trips me up. It says "pray continually". What do you think Paul meant with those two small words? I think he meant far more than I understand in my mid 20s.
The second problem I have identified in my prayer life deals with the things I pray for. I came under this conviction when studying through the book of Colossians. In Col. 3:2 Paul tell us to "set our minds on things above". While reading some commentaries on this passage it came to my realization that the best way to examen whether or not you are setting your mind on things above is to examen your prayer life. What is it you spend time praying for? Do you pray for earthly things only? Or are your prayers filled with petitioning for such things as the expansion of God's Kingdom. Do you pray to be used by God and any way He sees fit? I have to confess my prayer life is not too often filled with those types of prayers. My prayers usually start of with "God I want..." And that is not always a bad prayer. We often don't have because we don't ask! God wants us to ask Him for things. What is not good is if our prayer life is ONLY filled with those prayers.
So my brothers and sisters, do you share some of these feelings? Have you every examined your prayer life? What have you found? Don't be afraid to go and look. There is freedom in our struggles!