I sleep in class a lot.

If professors were to watch for me, they could catch me asleep at least once a week — sometimes more.  I often ask myself, why do I fall asleep so easily in lectures?  Am I bored?  Do I have a sleep disorder?

To some extent, yes, both of those are true.  But they’re not the main reason my eyelids become extraordinarily heavy.  I realized today that it all goes back to preparation.

When I prepare for class, I’m less likely to fall asleep.  A little extra investment of time and effort seems to keep my eyes open, no matter how bored I become.

This principle applies everywhere: I won’t leave a boring football game when I’ve paid $25 per ticket.  I won’t fall asleep in a movie I paid $9 to see.  I won’t doze during a church meeting for which I’ve spiritually prepared myself.

If you want to get more out of something in your life, start investing more in it.  If the investment is painful, perhaps you shouldn’t be doing that thing in the first place.