Only with a goal can you know when you've arrived. Only with a plan can you be confident that you'll arrive on schedule, or at all. To choose a fitting goal, candidly assess your experience, skills, interests, strengths, weaknesses, enthusiasms and aversions. If you find self-assessment difficult, have a close friend help you, or consult a career counselor. Once you have a clear picture of how you best operate, you can select a career goal that conforms to your character.
Research is paramount here.
Spend time at the library. Read relevant books and magazines. Talk to executive recruiters. They know what it takes to flourish in a given role. As you begin to clarify your goal, interview people who have achieved it.