I imagine that those of you who tend to be rather literal and detailed-oriented have already composed a quick response to this question.  Sitting at your desk, perhaps, or reading on a BlackBerry in an airport, thinking "Of course I know where I am!  What a dumb question!"
 
But let's go a bit deeper, and consider the question on a different level.  Consider this quote from the I Ching:
 
It is only when we have the courage
to face things exactly as they are,
without any self-deception or illusion,
that a light will develop out of events,
by which the path to success
may be recognized.
 
I Ching
Hexagram 5, Hsü,
Waiting (Nourishment)
 
Self-awareness and systems awareness are key aspects of leadership.  A leader must know where she really is at any given time and what the status is of the system in which she's operating.  What is working, and what isn't?  What decisions does the leader need to make, and what factors are relevant?  How does activity in one area impact or inform activity in other areas?  Leaders (and emerging leaders) must become accustomed to asking and answering these kinds of questions.
 
Outside perspectives often help to create clarity.  I recently worked with a lawyer (let's call him Ted) who mentioned that his team seemed to be exhausted and that one member even "jokingly" told him that they weren't working in an emergency room and didn't need to pretend they were.  The comment had clearly annoyed my client.  He vented for some time about how lazy he found the team and particularly the person who made that comment, and then he paused. 
 
"Is there any truth to that comment?"  My question startled Ted.  At first he was irritated at being asked such an impertinent question, but then he stepped back to observe.  To his credit, Ted began to realize that he'd adopted a mode of operating crisis-to-crisis.  He explained that much of his work is emergency-driven, but then he added, somewhat sheepishly, that the emergencies tend to be created as a by-product of poor planning or procrastination.  We continued to probe the existing situation, and over time Ted made a number of shifts that limited emergency operations to true emergencies.
 
Where do you need to expand your awareness?  Maybe you know that you're struggling with time management but you've been telling yourself it isn't really such a big deal or that you'll get a handle on it next week.  Maybe you have a hunch that there's something not quite right about that new case or new client.  Or maybe you've been working toward a goal, only to find that it seems to be moving further away than ever. 
 
To deepen your awareness, consider questions like these, as applied to your situation:

• Is there any truth to this?
• Is there any evidence to support this?
• What might an outsider notice about this?
• What is my responsibility in this situation?
• What am I pretending not to know?
• What are other possibilities?

 
Once you know "where you are" (with respect to professional goals, relationships, or otherwise), the next step toward your desired outcome will become clearer.  You'll be operating from truth and clarity, which create the opportunity for action and resolution.
How often do you find yourself doing one activity and thinking about another?  Perhaps you check email while you're on the phone or talking to someone?  Or you read the paper (or browse the web) while your partner or child is trying to tell you something? 
 
It's so common to do this, and when we do, we generally think we're making good use of the time by multitasking.  And yet, most of us have also had the experience of getting "busted" - the person who's talking realizes we aren't listening, or we make an error because we're juggling two (or more) tasks simultaneously.  At a minimum, our stress level goes up because the brain isn't wired for multitasking.
 
Instead, try being fully present with what you're doing.  If you're in conversation, close your email and put your phone on "do not disturb" so you can direct all of your attention to the discussion.  Conversations tend to go more quickly when you're fully present because you're at full attention, and you'll notice that you catch not only what's said, but also what is going unsaid that should perhaps be explored. 
 
For instance, imagine that a colleague is briefing you on an expert witness deposition prep session and the words say all is well.  If you are fully present to your colleague, you might notice tension in his face that you would miss if you were looking at papers or email while he's talking.  Seeing the tension, you'd have an opportunity to inquire and learn that although he can't put his finger on the issue, something isn't right about the testimony or the way the expert is presenting it.  That's valuable information that could go undetected.  (Should your colleague raise the concern without being asked?  Absolutely.  However, many of us are uncomfortable bringing up a concern without any evidence to back it up, and so he might well not mention it.)
 
How to become fully present?  I recommend a quick centering exercise, which can be as simple as taking 3 or 4 slow, deep breaths.  Bring all of your attention to the present activity, and if you find your attention wandering, breathe deeply again and bring it back.  This level of focus will allow you to be more effective and less stressed. 
 
As Malcolm Forbes said, "Presence is more than just being there."  Being fully present focuses all of your senses on the task or person at hand.  It's a learned skill.  Try an experiment: resolve to be fully present for a couple of hours a day and see what you notice.  I'd love to hear your feedback.