Don't wait for your ship to come in. Row out to meet it. Go to people you trust and respect for career advice. Recruit mentors and make friends. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of the value of critical friends, people who will not simply tell you what you want to hear, but who will speak the plain, unvarnished truth, even if it hurts.
Critical friends are priceless.
Of course, when you ask this of others, you must be willing to offer the same quality of friendship. Keep your life in balance. No job should serve as a substitute for your family or for a rich personal life. Make your work something you love. Life is short and a career is even shorter.