Compound interest is magic. If you have any excess income to spare, max out your 401k.
Assuming a 7% average rate of return, if you contribute the maximum amount (using 20k for easy math), you will conservatively reach $1M in 22 years, and the real magic number of $2M in just over 30.
The sooner you start emphasizing saving, the sooner that clock starts ticking down. So if you’re able to start by 30, you have a shot at a high quality of life in retirement at 60, regardless of the continued existence of social security.
Unfortunately, most of the country can’t, and most are not even achieving the full company match (assuming they even offer one, usually something like 50 cents to the dollar for up to 6% of your salary, or 3600/year on average). At the average income and rate, one would only have $350k after that same 30 years, or $700k if fully vested with your company match.
For most people, this will not be enough to retire.