Does remote work feel unclear long term if you’re still early in it?

This might be more of an early-stage thing, but I’m curious. I’m working remotely, mostly project-based, and still fairly new to this space. Day to day, things work fine. But when I think a few years ahead, it feels blurry. There’s no clear ladder — just building skills, staying relevant, and trying not to burn out. I know full-time, in-house remote roles are more stable. I guess I’m wondering what this phase usually turns into. If you started out more loosely like this, did things eventually settle into something clearer?