Social Security vs. Income Investing

Do you want to work for 35 years to receive $3,000/month in social security benefits? That sounds like a bad deal to me.
I would rather create a $3,000/month paycheck by age 45 and grow it into a $20,000/month paycheck by the time I turn 66.
But where do you start? I choose income investing as my investing style of choice. It's not for everyone because it requires knowledge, research, and faith in the system.
However, if you can understand the order of operations between various bonds and interest rates, you stand a chance to become a great income investor.
My wife and I received over $1,700 last month in dividends, and I am only 41 years old (she is younger). Can we achieve $3,000/month before age 66? Good Luck!