"Headed in the right direction" or "heading in the right direction"?

Solution 1:

Both are certainly correct and both basically mean the same thing, but if you want to be precise and analyze them, heading in the right direction may be more specific to the current situation, like saying:

Captain, we're (currently) heading in the right direction and should be arriving the destination shortly.

On the other hand, headed in the right direction may have more general meaning expressing a longer time scale, like for example:

This may be a young nation, but it's definitely headed in the right direction. During the last few years, it has advanced in many areas like no other country.

Solution 2:

Usage of both phrases is head___ in the right direction:

Solution 3:

Being headed means that the direction of the vessel points into this direction. Heading means being in the process of moving somewhere.

Being headed + movement = heading somewhere