Paste: In media res

Characters should be a turmoil of emotion, and the best way to show emotion is through action. Many think that lonely, silent soliloquies are the best ways to show what a character is thinking. In fact, this is telling, and it's passive. Show just how angry he is when he hits someone. Prove his joy through passion. 
Begin your stories with characters, their emotion, and through their action. Start not with them getting out of bed and eating breakfast, but the very moment when all sinks downhill. There are many ways of becoming clichéd, so watch out. 
Hook your reader through conflicts and compelling characters as soon as remotely possible.