"What makes it difficult to truly incorporate a daily meditation practice?"
Quick answer
Most people don’t give up because meditation doesn’t work, but because the way they were taught to do it requires willpower, uncertainty, and a specific, uncommitted time slot in their day. TM is structured differently: it requires no concentration, involves a fixed twice-daily routine tied to existing moments in the day, and offers lifelong support as soon as momentum starts to fade.
The 4 obstacles that usually prevent a meditation habit from sticking
- It requires willpower. Concentration techniques and most apps require you to force yourself to do it every day—as soon as motivation wanes, the habit falls by the wayside.
- No feedback on whether you’re doing it right. With self-taught techniques (via an app or book), the doubt about whether you’re “doing it right” persists, which fosters uncertainty and ultimately leads to giving up.
- No set time of day. “Sometime today” isn’t a ritual—without set times, the session disappears as the day gets busier.
- No one to fall back on. As soon as the momentum fades, there’s usually no instructor or group to fall back on, so the habit quietly fades away.
Why TM is structured differently on each of these points
- Completely effortless. TM uses a personal mantra instead of concentration or “clearing” your mind—no inner struggle of willpower is needed to stay seated.
- Personal correction on Day 1. You learn the technique one-on-one from a certified teacher and receive your mantra in person, so you know for sure from the very first session that you’re doing it right.
- A set twice-daily routine. 20 minutes before your workday and 20 minutes before dinner—linked to existing moments in your day rather than “whenever you remember.”
- Lifelong support, not a one-time module. Free check-ins with any certified TM teacher worldwide, plus free monthly group meetings for the first six months—precisely during the period when most people give up on other techniques.
3 practical tips to get through the first few months
- Link the session to an existing ritual —right after getting up or just before dinner, instead of having to remember a new time.
- No special setting is needed. A chair, the train, or your desk will do—that lowers the barrier to doing the session even on busy days.
- Take advantage of the refresher courses during the first six months —the group check-ins are specifically designed for the period when a new habit is most vulnerable.