How to answer this end of the year review question

[MoominGang]

The yearly appraisals are about to start in my workplace and it's likely to be the same questions asked as last year. The one I always struggle with and see it more of a job interview question is, where do you see yourself in 1/2/5 years time?
My answer is always along the lines of expressing the commitment to the company and going where the job takes me. But I'm quite senior and unless there is a new post created, there is no progression path. I report directly to the company's director.
How would you answer it without sounding overambitious but wanting to be recognized ? I'm not aiming to become to be a director and my next move is probably going to be a job change as my road here might be ending.

I would be absolutely honest, polite, but honest.

'I would like to progress but don't currently see any promotion opportunities here, I would like the opportunity to build on xx skills, develop xx experience and feel that it may be necessary to start looking elsewhere in a year or two'.

They will either agree and tell you that there won't be any promotion opportunities in which case you know what you need to do, or they will start looking for ways to give you those opportunities and build out additional roles.

I'm probably looking for a bit of reassurance that it's actually okay to say that. In an honest but not demanding anything way.

Maybe, I need to tell myself that a man would not think twice about just saying it!

I told my male boss today that I was pretty sure I was paid less than others in the team because I'm female, that while I couldn't back that up with evidence, yet, I'd be willing to bet that salaries were not equal, and that it wouldn't be unreasonable to say that the quality and quantity of my output is better than the people (menu that I believe are higher paid. He didn't confirm my suspicions but did say that he would look into it and that he agreed that my work was far superior to that of others in the team.

To be fair to him, he's new and my salary was set by the previous misogynist.

I think remain professional but put forth your point in a way that they can relate to and that allows them to give you clarity while also giving them an opportunity to make changes if they want to keep you.