I understand the idea behind an investment portfolio (investing one's money in diverse ways), but I'm not sure where to begin.

I have a 401k with my current employer and a savings account at a bank, but that's it. I have no money in mutual funds or IRA's or bonds or anything.

As some of you may have seen in my other questions, I've been instructed by users on this board to pay off all of my existing debt that has high interest rates first, and then look to investing my money. So lets assume that I've paid off my existing debts, which I haven't, but just for the sake of looking to the future where should I first begin to invest my money? How much of my portfolio should be going into my 401k (which, for the record, I have no confidence in)? Should I put in money in gold hedge funds? How much of my portfolio should be in an IRA?