Through everything I've gone through- and I've been everywhere, at the top of the world, in jail, hung over drunk - I never gave up my dream of winning a gold medal in the Olympics.

It took me time to realize that the men who won Olympic gold medals in the decathlon are just men, just like me.

As a young child, I was never a crier. I never cried to get my way, or even when I was in pain.

I always know where the scissors are.

I got interested in decathlon because a coach that I had was a big fan of Bruce Jenner, and he just saw the ability in me - but when it came down to it, I knew my best chance at a college scholarship would be in track and field.

You have to be able to be a good loser. You have to be okay knowing you're going to fail every day in something without getting mad and upset.

Try everything, because you're never sure what you're going to be great at.