The indispensable first step to getting the things you want out of life is this: Decide what you want.

Stein frames desire-fulfillment as beginning not with effort or talent but with clarity. The “indispensable first step” is a deliberate act of definition: naming a goal precisely enough that choices, tradeoffs, and plans can align around it. The quote also implies that many frustrations come from vague wanting—seeking “more” or “better” without specifying what that means—so progress stalls because there is no stable target. In this sense, deciding what you want is both practical (it guides action) and psychological (it commits you to a direction and filters distractions). It echoes a broader self-help and decision-theory idea: outcomes improve when preferences are articulated and prioritized.