Writing a book is a big undertaking – even bigger than I initially thought. The time I spent researching, writing, editing, and obsessing about this project meant I had less availability for a host of other activities, like watching TV, hanging out with friends and family, or just “being” – and that had a disproportionate impact on one person in my life.

So first and foremost, thank you to my wife, Jennifer. Throughout our time together, your love, support, and encouragement have given me the confidence and safety to do things I never thought would be possible — including, broadly speaking, to design a life on my terms, and in this instance, to write a book. I've told you this many times, but I literally could not have done this without you. You continue to make me a better person and a better writer. And for the book, you took the time to talk through ideas (some that were very bad), review drafts (many that were painful to read), and edit what sounded okay (that's being generous) into content that a reader may enjoy reading. And just as importantly, you kept me sane along the way.

Early in this process, I learned that traditional publishers typically will not consider publishing your work unless you come through a literary agent who has vetted you and your book idea. Each agent and editor receives hundreds, if not thousands, of book proposals from prospective writers a year, which means they have to turn down a lot of writers. I'm thankful to my literary agent, Linda Konner, and my editor, Kevin Harreld, for believing in me and my book, understanding my vision, and championing this project.

Many people have helped bring this book to fruition by generously supporting my financial planning and writing pursuits over the years. I am particularly grateful to personal finance expert Lauren Lyons Cole, who helped me initially get my business off the ground by advising me on ways to build my writing portfolio and financial planning firm. Several other subject matter experts helped me when it came to writing this book specifically. Financial planner David Oransky served as my sounding board for the finance section, insurance agent Erik Chiprich and estate planning attorney Tony Ford assisted with the insurance and estate planning chapter, and career management expert Amanda Augustine provided invaluable input on the career section. A number of my friends also reviewed and provided feedback on my early drafts, including Steffi de Zarraga, Veena Ramaswamy, Elizabeth Bouquard, Aman Randhawa, Gouri Mukherjee, Alberto Grazi, Amanda Blake, and Serenity Hughes. And of course, I'm fortunate for the continued support I have received from the rest of my friends and my family.

Finally, I'd like to thank my parents for all the work they put into raising me. Before becoming a parent, it was not apparent to me how much work and sacrifice are required to bring up any child, let alone a high-energy, rebellious kid like I was. So thank you, Mom and Dad, for keeping me on track.