I wanted to give people the ability once again to realize that they can still dream, but it has to be a new American dream that's based in honesty, integrity, and security - a dream that allows you to sleep at night, a dream that is attainable and allows you to stand in your truth.

When it comes to tackling your financial goals, whatever they might be, there's no time like the present.

Opt for a fixed-rate rather than an adjustable-rate mortgage.

For all your long-term investments, such as retirement accounts that you won't touch for at least ten years, you need a mix of stocks and bonds. Stocks offer the best shot at inflation-beating gains. But stocks don't always go up. That's where bonds come into play: They have less upside potential, but they also do not pack the same risk.

To make the most of your money, I recommend sticking with mutual funds that don't charge a commission when you buy or sell.

The truth will always lead you to a better place and a bigger place. And every single setback, every single one, has led me - not in my time, but in the time that it was meant to happen - to a place that I never in a million years could have imagined that I could go or become.

Many people are dreaming. Let me rent. Let me have a job. Let me work until I'm 70. That's not what the American Dream used to be. It used to be, let me own a home. Let me retire at 59 and a half or 65 at the latest. Let me do this. And now, really, given what's happened, good luck with anything happening unless you do it yourself.