Active and Passive Participants in Rpging

Sometimes people make really good posts. (The thread itself is worthwhile too)

... the disconnect between me and the rest of my group .... As GM I keep wanting them to have goals -- they keep wanting me to give them assignments. As a player, I keep wanting to follow my goals -- they keep wanting me to go on their assignments. It can be extremely frustrating.

I'm probably similar to the poster in that I'd like to have a storytelling role of some sort, even as a player. Often that isn't possible. Our current Age of Worms game, for example, is linear. To a certain degree it's a puzzle game, where you're really only trying to select between various outcomes.
DnD being DnD some of the outcomes are just better than others (read: the ones that give you more magic items and xp).