A financial plan is a way to take all of the money advice you come across and figure out how it applies to your specific financial situation.

Before you take the leap, before you jump, really make sure it's going to be something you want to get out of bed [to do] everyday, because it is so hard. So you want to make sure that you're really committed.

I always encourage people to pay themselves first, so I really advocate setting up direct deposit for your paycheck and establishing an automatic transfer so that part of each paycheck goes straight into your savings account.

A good financial plan is a road map that shows us exactly how the choices we make today will affect our future.

My ultimate goal is to create operating systems for myself that allow me to think as little as possible about the silly decisions you can make all day long - like what to eat or where we should meet - so I can focus on making real decisions.

I go to bed at 2 a.m. and get up at 7 a.m. - I've never been a sleeper. But I definitely get sick every month-and-a-half.

The best advice that I can offer is that being proactive and a careful planner is key. Think about the major things that could shake up your financial life, and Ill bet there are some great ways to protect yourself.