I found that although I was working on my kavana, I just couldn't apply what I was learning. Studying books on tefilla greatly inspired me, but I couldn't always connect while davening; I was plagued with mind-wander. 

I am happy to announce that I am now in remission. Not cured, but lots of successes.
I would like to share the development of my achievement, especially since working on my davening has also taught me how vital our tefillos are. We have a lot to accomplish. How can we do so if we cannot use our most potent tool? 

A couple of years ago, I called a Tehillim Gemach and asked for an assignment. I wanted to be part of finishing the sefer Tehillim on a daily basis. "But give me something easy," I requested. I wanted to commit to something and keep it.  

Her response made me want to laugh and cry. "Take kuf-yud-tes, (119)" she responded, matter-of-factly. Huh? Did she hear me? I said easy. Well either she had or hadn't; perhaps it was the language barrier. Although I think my Hebrew is pretty clear, I experience occasional communication mix-ups. A quick perusal of the perek however, revealed that it wasn't so hard, just long; 176 pesukim, in alphabetical order, eight pesukim per letter! Boldly, I decided that this was a challenge that I would accept. I would endeavor to say this lengthy chapter daily! 

As I took the plunge and began, I was so thankful that I had. What can I say? If you are not familiar with this chapter of Tehillim, check it out. It is replete with one request and praise after the other, all easy to understand, at least on a p'shat (surface) level. I found I was really "getting into it." I was also happy to notice that it was listed in the beginning of my Tehillim as a propitious chapter to recite for sons to learn Torah. Since I am blessed with several, I was doubly glad that I had undertaken the assignment. 

One day I had a thought, a scheme which would make use of the alphabetic arrangement. The idea was to concentrate momentarily on a particular child, relative or person(s) in need, for each letter. Armed with my twenty-two selections, I was off and running, davening for each of them on a daily basis. At first I had to consult a list, but after a short while, the one-to-one correspondence was firmly entrenched in my mind. Despite all this, I cannot claim that I was regularly concentrating on the meaning of the words. At least, however, I was cutting down a bit on "mind-wander," since my brain had to think about each person, however briefly. 

One year later, still struggling with concentrating on other parts of davening, something clicked. 'Ashrei, recited thrice daily, is also alphabetically arranged. Why not daven, briefly again, for each of these twenty-two loved ones while reciting Ashrei?' Thought and done. Wow! For the first time in my life, I was actually concentrating on each pasuk in Ashrei! No, not on each of those people, but on the pasuk itself. Upon analysis, it seemed that this is what was happening: My mind was being pulled out of the wandering mode and forced into an active-thinking mode. I knew that at the start of each pasuk I had to remember someone. I did, and moved on to the pasuk itself instantaneously. It may sound illogical, but that is what occurred. 

After about a week of amazing Ashreis, I thought, 'Why not try this with the rest of davening?' Yes. That is what put me into remission, which actually means reduction. I didn't eliminate mind wander and the kavana doesn't come by itself, even with playing this word game. I still have to make an effort to concentrate. But what an improvement! Additionally, after just a few weeks of using this system, not even 100% of the time, my davening was transformed. Even when I find myself "lazy" or thinking, 'I can concentrate all by myself' and neglect to use my technique, there is a change. Clearly, an important divide has been crossed. 

Although I tried to share this idea with friends, it sounded a bit complicated, not to mention far fetched. People appeared to be reluctant to invest in a thought process that had developed naturally for me. Formulating a one-to-one correspondence which would only improve kavana a month hence was just much too convoluted and impractical. And some found it distracting to think about other people. So how about a simplified approach? See Kavana tips... 

Does this entire idea sound too incredible, improbable, silly or worse? Let me share this precious tidbit from a wonderful book, A Touch of Wisdom, a Touch of Wit, by S. Himelstein, page 46. Clearly, using a gimmick such as my suggestion is not such a new idea. 

Rabbi Yaakov Yitzchak, the Yehudi Hakadosh, would say: "Whenever I get up to pray, I always imagine that there are ten Cossacks surrounding me with swords in their hands, ready to slay me on the spot if I don't pray properly." 

As I began concentrating on my davening with greater frequency, I started studying more sefarim including Rav Schwab on Prayer and Rabbi Avraham Feuer's Shemoneh Esrei and even using the Artscroll Interlinear Siddur. They are full of insights that continue to enhance my davening. I also began to incorporate many additional ideas, culled from many sources. They have helped me even further. 

 As you begin each pasuk or even each line or phrase, think BRIEFLY about the first letter. Mentally determine its gematriah, consider its sound or just name the letter itself. Any variation can work; the point is to get your brain to think. Try it and you will be amazed.
 

 Before you begin the actual tefilla, daven briefly in your own words, for HaShem's help. I read of a Rav who used to do this specifically before bentching, having in mind that the phone and doorbell should not ring. Ask HaShem to assist you so that you can concentrate.
 

 Ascertain you are presentable, just as when you have an important meeting; actually, you do. Wash your hands.
 

 If you are davening at home, do so in an area with as few distractions as possible; away from telephones, doorbells and where others may be conversing.

When in a room with someone who is davening or bentching, DO NOT TALK!
  

Slow down. This will have an amazing impact on your davening. Try to daven at the same speed with which you speak or mimic the manner in which the chazzan davens. Yes, you will need a little more time to daven, but surprisingly, not that much more; surely you will agree, "It's worth it!"
 

  Don't daven by heart. Don't even begin until you are at the right page and ready to recite the first word.

Wait a second to turn each page before continuing. Close your siddur only when you finish davening. 
 

 Rabbi Avigdor Miller recommends working on one small area at a time. "Every day you pick just one little part, let's say one bracha and make up your mind: On this bracha I'm going to put in all my thoughts, I don't care how long it takes."
  

Before saying a bracha, take a second to think about the full meaning of the first few words: "Source of all blessing," "We personally relate to," "Master of all; was, is, always will be," "All-powerful, watches over us individually," "King of the world." Check the end of the bracha as well; we ought to know what we plan to say before we begin! If you are saying Birchos HaShachar and someone is answering amen (a wonderful zechus for all!) use the few milliseconds during which they say amen  to prepare for the following bracha.
 

 Pick a phrase. I go through the six constant mitzvos, abbreviated. Believe in HaShem, no other, know His Oneness, love HaShem, fear HaShem, don't let yourself be misled. Try that or select any pasuk or some thought of hakaros hatov. Any thought that strengthens your feelings of dependence on HaShem will do.

Mentally review the phrase or thought before reciting each paragraph or right before making a bracha. Try it with each closing bracha of the 19 brachos in Shemoneh Esrei. After doing it a few times, you'll have a fantastic habit that really forces you to stop and concentrate. 
  

Make up your mind to just focus. (Excerpted from Conversations with Yourself, by Rabbi Zelig Pliskin.) "Minds tend to wander. One tool to bring yours back is to say to yourself, 'Just focus.' When you give your mind instructions to 'Just focus,' your mind might just follow your instructions."
  

Visualize. I saw this idea in the fantastic book, Battle Plans by Rebbetzin Heller/Rigler, all about fighting the Yetzer Hara. I decided to apply it to my davening. Equipped with this concept, I found it easy to picture Avrohom Aveinu going to the akeida and the scene at the splitting of the sea, both beautifully described in detail in the morning davening. As I accustomed myself to look for images, loftier sections came to life as well. I could "see" chassidim dancing for HaShem and angels gathering for praises. Most importantly, in the Shema and Shemoneh Esrei, with forethought, each section easily brought a multi-faceted portrait to my mind.
 

 Rebbetzin Vichna Kaplan, a"h, the founder of Bais Yaakov in America and one of the star pupils of Sara Schenirer, (initiator of the Bais Yaakov movement in Poland,) was speaking with some students about their bentching Birkas HaMazon. "How can it be," she asked, "that we bentch, go on to the next activity and a few minutes later, ask our friend or child, 'Did I bentch?'" When I heard this and realized how true it was, I set my mind to thinking while I bentched or davened a particular paragraph, "Remember! You are saying these powerful words! Don't wonder later whether or not you said them!" This is especially useful for additions such as retzei on Shabbos, v'sein tal u'matar in the winter and the like.
  

Use the largest print you can find. Point to each word with your finger. Decide to concentrate on the meaning of HaShem's name each time you say it. 
 

 Keep track of your progress in a notebook or on a post-it note kept in your siddur. If your mind wanders a lot, count how many paragraphs you did concentrate on. When you reach the point where you mostly concentrate, keep track of the number of times your mind wanders. Note your growth. Feel free to garner rewards (could be a treat or earn taking time to indulge in something for which you do not normally take time off) or penalties. Be creative! For example, caught yourself thinking off-topic thoughts? Stop, spend a minute reading a davening tip and return to your davening - but not during Shema or Shemoneh Esrei, of course.
  

The Vilna Gaon, zt"l, writes, "If your mind strays while praying, do not give up trying to concentrate. As soon as you realize you are not concentrating on what you are saying, at that very moment begin concentrating." (Quoted from Rabbi Zelig Pliskin, Gateway to Happiness.) 
  

Ready for more? Try this: There are really two types of the shva vowel, na and nach. Shva na makes the letter sound like its own syllable; with shva nach the letter is slurred, attached to the previous letter. The grammar rules are somewhat complicated; thankfully there are many siddurim with some type of notation on the vowel to indicate which it is. Artscroll, for example, has a dash on top of the shva na. I have seen some siddurim that have an enlarged shva for the shva na. If you have never paid attention to this, start now! You will slow yourself down nicely and will be pronouncing your words more correctly.
 

 Select one or more brachos of Shemoneh Esrei to concentrate on daily, so that you cover the entire tefilla weekly or monthly. That is, either concentrate on three or four brachos a day or devote a day or two to each bracha. Number the brachos in your siddur to facilitate the process. You may want to read some sort of detailed commentary prior to or during your davening related to the selected brachos. This will actually do wonders for your concentration even on the other brachos.
  

Use a stopwatch periodically to see how much time you spend on davening Shemoneh Esrei. As your concentration improves, delight in the extra seconds added to your tefilla.
 

  I heard that at a Siyum HaShas a few years ago, the chazzan paid in the area of $40,000 for the privilege of leading the davening!! Occasionally before I daven, I think of this idea. I imagine I just paid that money and am standing in front of about 100,000 people... I am catapulted into an excellent concentrating mood!
Experiment with some or all of these tips at your own pace and see what works for you.  

May all your tefillos be answered l'tova