Meditation is for the mind what physical exercise is for the body. That is why people do it, because it pays off in enhanced performance and mood. It is as difficult and painful to sit in intense focus for hours at a time as it is to exercise intensely for hours.
In my experience, both kinds of exercise pay off about the same amount. Taken together, they constitute a major self 'upgrade.'
That is one very real and tangible result of meditation. There is an aspect beyond this that grows from the concentration developed by regular meditation. I don't know about "enlightenment" but at least for me, after several years of steady practice, it's more about accepting things as they come and letting go of my ideas about how they should be. Somehow this has ended up nullifying the entire concept of an upgrade or enhancement for me, which is quixotic.
In my experience, both kinds of exercise pay off about the same amount. Taken together, they constitute a major self 'upgrade.'