Regardless of our affinity for it, money plays a starring role in all of our lives: we are always busy earning it, spending it or saving it. However, even though everyone is bound by this common objective, no two people pursue it in the same way. From what they do to where they live to how they save, each person follows their own unique path in the hopes that their hard work will eventually pay off. For most people, the ultimate payoff is a successful retirement. While no two paths to retirement will look exactly alike, the same four steps can be used to traverse them.