Once you learn to manipulate your orbit & get circular, you need to realize that your orbital speed is not under your direct control. If you speed up, the opposite side (180 degrees from you) will raise in altitude. If you slow down, the opposite side will drop. If you are at the exact same altitude as your target (ISS, etc), and perfectly circular, you will neither gain nor lose ground (or space). Eg, there is a "natural" orbital speed for whatever your altitude.
Scenario: Start from a circular orbit slightly below your target. First, you need to make sure you're on the same orbital "Plane" as your target. I won't go into detail on this, but it involves the "Align Planes" MFD and using the "Orbit + -" Autopilots. It's made easiest when you learn to take off at the best time and angle in the first place.
From your lower orbit, your natural speed will be faster than your target and you will gain position on it. When the time seems right, do a prograde burn to raise the opposite side of your orbit to that of your target. If you timed it right, your paths will intersect just as you meet it.
Inside is faster and outside is slower. If you outran your target, raise the opposite side (with prograde) slightly to slow down and try again. Play with it 'til you get it right.
Yeah, it's counterintuitive and definitely NOT Star Wars physics (which is basically a necessary ignorance of physics).