Just finished Chopin's nocturnes 1 and 2 in opus 9, looking for a next song to play.

My eventual goal is to be able to play Chopin's first ballade, as I am a huge fan of his work, and that piece specifically. I am wondering what would be a logical next step as a piece to play (preferably by chopin) for me to refine my skills before I attempt the immense difficulty that will come with the ballade. Thank you for the help.