And that's what it's all about.

This guide. Where do I start? How about at the beginning? When I started writing this guide, or at least developing the idea for the guide, I was working 80 hours a week and a losing my mind at how mundane and overwhelmed I'd felt. My family, my friends, my family's friends and my friends' families were all, and to some extent still are, just floating through life and doing what they need to do to get by day to day. And I thought to myself, self, shouldn't things be more...awesome?

Let me preface this by saying, I am not an expert at awesome. But Michael Gatton, don't you have to be an expert at something to write a guide on it? No, imaginary audience member I will use occasionally as a literary device, you don't. I'm a strong believer in the "fake it 'til you make it" school of thought. Also, I believe there is an awesome me waiting to come out. I know he lives in my head and sometime, when the moment is right, I see him come out and do some amazing things. It's okay to have regrets, just don't let it happen again.

And that's what it's all about. To get rid of the regrets and start doing what you know will make the moment, this moment right here, great.

So, what to expect? Basically I'll just be regurgitating things you already know and have already heard in a different context. And it's up to you, and to me, to make sure we do something with it. I might try to come up with projects. I might just spout steps that will eventually seem to repeat themselves. Whatever I do, I will be working each and every day to become more awesome, and I hope you will, too. Because being awesome isn't a zero sum game. And it's not like there's a finite amount of awe to be had or given. There's plenty to be had no matter what you're doing with your life right now.

2010 is the year. This is the day. And now is the moment. Are you awesome yet?