Don't pretend you know what meditation is! 
It's a must to get rid of the mind completely. This misunderstanding ruins meditation for many people. Most beginners notice their thoughts immediately after they start meditating. They assume they are failing and decide meditation isn't for them. A wandering mind is not a meditation failure. It's the whole idea. The goal is not permanent mental silence. It's all about realizing that you've gone off track and bringing yourself back. The act of noticing is the real exercise. I once heard a meditation teacher say: "Your mind will wander thousands of times. Keep bringing it back." That's the entire point. Easy to understand, hard to master. It takes a minimum of 30 minutes each day. No one really knows where this idea came from. For people with jobs and responsibilities, it makes meditation feel impossible. Five minutes works. Three minutes works. Studies show the brain adapts over time through regular mindfulness practice. Regular practice beats occasional marathon sessions. Someone meditating 5 minutes daily will usually outperform someone doing one long more session occasionally. Start with something almost too easy. Set a timer for two minutes and begin. Meditation is a religious practice. Meditation is a religious activity. Yes, meditation is a Buddhist, Hindu and other tradition. The same is true for yoga. Even everyday systems around us have cultural or religious roots. Meditation can be completely secular if you choose. Hospitals, athletes, and even the military use meditation techniques. As a card-carrying skeptic, you can still garner a lot of benefits from the program. If it means something to you tie it in to religion. Leave it alone if it doesn't. Both are right and both are wrong. Many people expect instant calm from meditation. Unfortunately, reality is usually messier than that. Other sessions are like watching paint dry, with your brain shuffling through multiple versions of all your anxious thoughts. That experience is part of the process. Occasionally, meditation creates moments that are hard to describe but deeply calming. Both experiences are valid. Like fitness training, meditation rarely produces instant transformation. The benefits grow over time, not overnight. Meditation is a long-term investment, not a quick fix. Meditation Doesn't Require Lotus Position: The stereotype of perfect lotus-position meditation confuses many beginners. That image mostly comes from traditional art. And it's not helped matters. A chair works perfectly fine. You can even lie down if needed. Stand. Walk. Walking meditation has existed for centuries as a legitimate practice. The important thing is that you are alert, and are not battling the posture. Meditation should help your mind, not destroy your knees. Those who meditate are super zen all the time. Even long-time meditators get annoyed in traffic sometimes. Meditation doesn't erase human emotions. From time to time, they bite the hands of the one they love. The goal isn't perfection, it's awareness.