I think a few posters have collectively explained the issue.
To have a connection to tefilla, meaningful, at least, you need a few ingredients. You need to understand what you are saying (and I mean every word), otherwise, you will skip everything. You need to stop and think about what you are saying or you won't connect, even when you do understand. You need to believe that Hashem wants to hear what you are saying.
The first thing can, in theory, be rectified by iyun tefilla. The second, is harder. You need a lot of preparation. You need to shut off your phone and clear your mind. Third takes a lot of mussar and hashkafa learning.
But it's doable for everyone, they just need to want to do it. They need to want it for themselves. Not for their wife, not for their kids. It can't be forced.
I think the problem is that we are in a world if constant distraction and instant results. That makes it harder. That is why tefillah is an avodah. Especially true today.
i learned in yeshiva for years and was a great davener (and i still am a great davener come tisha bav or other occasions). i know what every word means. i am a good concentrator and dont get distracted easily. but i am also very lazy and like to come up with excuses (i am a lawyer). and when excuses sound reasonable then the war is already lost.
For each their own, everyone is lacking in something. with Davening its all about understanding what you are saying.
If you don't understand its just standing and reading a book.
understanding doesnt give one a reason to take the significant time to say over the same thing again and again without any clear change in circumstance.
@shiframeir, you mention skipping davening to help your wife/kids/friends just a little bit more. Why not daven for them?
You also mention that you and others are "too practical" for the whole tefila idea. Why do you keep kashrus? Taahras hamishpacha? Is there a practical side to that?
I'm not trying to attack. However, @wayfe's husband seems to be maskim it's one of his shortcomings. You seem to be fine with your decisions.
Im not fine at all, i know im living bedieved and wish i was a superhero tzaddik. we have a mechanism that explains away when we are doing wrong (though it leads us to hyperfocus on yenem), and that is an important survival mechanism. i do not find fulfillment with minyan catching anymore. personally, for one reason or another i dont think deep down that its worth bothering hashem for most things for me, which he just always gives me when i need it anyway (bh i am lucky). i daven for my family/friends all the time in silent thought with god, but reading words written a long time ago like tachanun in shul with others just aint appealing and doesnt do the job nearly as good as a real cry to Him.
i dont remember what the practical thing was. i keep kashrus and taharas hamishpacha because God passed it down at sinai (with room for the rabbanan to make the gedarim) as rules of the road. prayer with minyan and by our standard text is a positive concept established by the rabbanan when we lost karbanos (lets not get into avos or karbanos). Im sure Hashem gets some nachas (whatever that means) from those who do it right and whose mindset/personality it fits to have a tight schedule of prayers etc. i did it for a long time and at some point it just wasnt working for me religously (or i'm just lacking or let my yetzer get the better). the point is though, hardly anyone is the whole package, thats what a gadol is. i happen to not be an avodah jew. and i know plenty of others like me.