1. route to a specific end
Professional
Social
on the road/pathway to success/failure/ruin
The road or path to something or somewhere refers to a process or series of events that lead to something or achieve something. A road to failure or ruin, for example, would be a series of actions or decisions that lead to negative results or total failure. A 'road to success' however would be a series of good decisions or practices that result in success. These are all established informal phrases that can be used in social and professional contexts.