But according to Bridgewater Associates founder Ray Dalio, the first step is clearly setting your goals. "Your choice of goals will determine your direction," Dalio writes in his 2017 book "Principles: Life & Work." Becoming overwhelmed with possibilitiesFirst, you have to make big decisions about what you want most, Dalio writes. "Decide what you really want in life by reconciling your goals and your desires," Dalio writes. Focusing on the wrong rewardThe motivation behind your goals should be about more than money, Dalio writes.

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