I'm really enjoying TI but feel like I'm missing something.

Quick breakdown, accelerated start, broke into USA through Mexico and Canada, took over world research, got the best sites on Mars/moon, but I got caught up somewhere and now I'm badly behind on space tech. I've got one little dinky escort up and a decent income of all space resources but not sure what to do now. Tech up, take the servants out of India/China?

I guess I missed somewhere the progression I was supposed to be doing. I'm going to keep at it til I die, but what's the normal progression I should focus on from early to mid game?