How TM Became Jerry Seinfeld's Non-Negotiable Daily Practice
Jerry Seinfeld, the king of observational comedy, is famous for finding humor in the smallest parts of everyday life. But behind the scenes of his incredible career, he has relied on a surprisingly simple tool for over forty years: Transcendental Meditation, or TM. This practice of quieting the mind twice a day has been his secret to staying creative, calm, and focused in the chaotic world of show business.
From College Curiosity to a Lifeline
Seinfeld first discovered TM in college, long before he became a household name. It wasn't a grand, spiritual search, but rather a practical one. He was looking for a way to handle stress and find a little peace. The technique itself is straightforward: you sit comfortably with your eyes closed for 20 minutes, twice a day, while silently thinking a specific mantra. This isn't about concentrating hard or emptying your mind; it's about letting your mind settle down naturally into a state of deep rest.
As his career exploded with the success of his hit TV show, Seinfeld, this simple practice became a non-negotiable part of his routine. In an industry filled with pressure, deadlines, and constant scrutiny, TM became his daily retreat-a quiet space to recharge.
The "Phone Charger" for Your Brain
Seinfeld often explains TM with a metaphor everyone can understand. He says, “You know how your phone has a charger? TM is like having a charger for your mind and body.” Just as a phone runs out of battery after a day of use, our minds and nervous systems get drained by stress, constant thinking, and overwork. Those 20 minutes of TM are like plugging in, allowing the system to restore its energy and reboot.
He credits this daily recharge for his legendary creativity. Even during the most exhausting days of writing and producing Seinfeld, he would use his meditation time to tap into a fresh, clear-headed space where new ideas could flow.
A Regret and a Lesson Learned
Despite his consistent practice, Seinfeld has one big professional regret: he wasn't strict about doing TM twice a day during the height of the show's fame.
Reflecting on why he eventually ended the show, he has said, “I’ll tell you my biggest regret: I didn’t know the importance of morning TM [during the Seinfeld] days. If I had two TMs a day, I would still be doing the show now.”
He explains the brutal schedule: “I did not have the energy; I was painfully exhausted all the time. Remember, I would rehearse all day with the actors and then sit down with Larry David and start writing the script.” He was only meditating once a day, in the afternoon, which wasn't enough to recover from the massive energy drain. He believes that if he had done his second session in the morning to pre-charge his brain, he could have handled the immense pressure and kept going.
More Than a Personal Practice: Becoming an Advocate
This hard-learned lesson made Seinfeld an even stronger believer and a vocal advocate for TM. He isn't shy about sharing how it has helped him, participating in events and interviews to explain its benefits. The influence of his meditation practice can even be seen in his later work, like his web series Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, which features more relaxed, philosophical conversations-a side of Seinfeld that his meditation practice may have helped bring forward.
Jerry Seinfeld’s story shows that success isn't just about working harder; it's about working smarter, and that includes taking care of your mind. In a world that never stops, he found that the secret to more energy, creativity, and endurance wasn't another cup of coffee, but a simple, twice-daily meeting with himself.