One of the main concepts in the hit movie and book, "The Secret," by Rhonda Byrnes is "1. ask, 2. believe, 3. receive."  In the movie "The Secret" there are several successful speakers (self-help gurus, authors, a Reverand, and others) who talk about "the secret" as the law of attraction (or like attracts like, or what you think about expands).  They all say we're living by the law of attraction constantly, whether we're aware of it or not and whether we like it or not.  To use the law of attraction in our favor, we must 1. ask, 2. believe, 3. receive.  They explain this as asking for what you want by having a clear, concise idea of it (whether you write it, draw it, say it, or just think it).  Then we must believe we will receive it - so after we ask once, we start believing and continue believing until our desire manifests and we receive what we asked for.  By "receive" they simply mean you must be open to receive what you asked for (by believing and by being open to new things).