---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Don't keep forever on the public…"
description: "\"“Don't keep forever on the public road,going only where others have gone, and following one after the other like a flock of sheep. Leave the beaten tra..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd3/alexander-graham-bell-9356_discoveries_don-t-keep-forever-on-the-public-road-go_1148842.jpg"
---

#  Don't keep forever on the public road,going only where…

![“Don't keep forever on the public road,going only where others have gone, and following one after the other like a flock of sheep. Leave the beaten track occasionally and dive into the woods. 'Every time you do so you will be certain to find something that you have never seen before. Of course it…” quote by Alexander Graham Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd3/alexander-graham-bell-9356_discoveries_don-t-keep-forever-on-the-public-road-go_1148842.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd3/alexander-graham-bell-9356_discoveries_don-t-keep-forever-on-the-public-road-go_1148842.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd3/alexander-graham-bell-9356_discoveries_don-t-keep-forever-on-the-public-road-go_1148842.jpg)

> ““Don't keep forever on the public road,going only where others have gone, and following one after the other like a flock of sheep. Leave the beaten track occasionally and dive into the woods. 'Every time you do so you will be certain to find something that you have never seen before. Of course it will be a little thing, but do not ignore it. Follow it up, explore all around it; one discovery will lead to another, and before you know it you will have something worth thinking about to occupy your mind. All really big discoveries are the results of thought.””

[Alexander Graham Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-graham-bell/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Avoid following the crowd; seek novel paths to discover unique insights and breakthroughs.

**In simple terms:** Take unconventional routes to find new ideas.

Key Takeaway

Explore beyond familiar trails.

Themes

creativity exploration innovation

Mood

inspirational thoughtful

Type

philosophical motivational

When to use this quote

- research
- travel
- artistic creation
- problem solving

Key Concepts

discovery curiosity originality

Questions to Reflect On

- What “small thing” could become a breakthrough?
- How can you balance risk and curiosity?

A Different Perspective

Unconventional ideas may lack immediate validation.

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[Big Discoveries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-discoveries-1630373/) [Discoveries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discoveries/) [Explore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/explore/) [Explore Discovery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/explore-discovery-3236578/) [Follow Explore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/follow-explore-3236579/) [Search](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/search/) [Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought/)

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> [Don't keep forever on the public road, going only where others have gone. Leave the beaten track occasionally and dive into the woods. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-graham-bell/don-t-keep-forever-on-the-public-road-going-only-where-others-have-5/)

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> [I suppose the thing that really interests me is what mankind did with the big, big, big discoveries that have created our modern age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/i-suppose-the-thing-that-really-interests-me-is-what-mankind-did-with/)

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> [“But discoveries are what usually egg us on. Not finding anything would be very bad indeed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-brockman/but-discoveries-are-what-usually-egg-us-on-not-finding-anything-would/)

[John Brockman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-brockman/)

> [Great discoveries and improvements invariably involve the cooperation of many minds. I may be given credit for having blazed the trail, but when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-graham-bell/great-discoveries-and-improvements-invariably-involve-the-cooperation-2/)

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> [“Question is the Champion of Quest”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vineet-raj-kapoor/question-is-the-champion-of-quest/)

[Vineet Raj Kapoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vineet-raj-kapoor/)

> [There seems to be one quality of mind which seems to be of special and extreme advantage in leading him to make discoveries. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-darwin/there-seems-to-be-one-quality-of-mind-which-seems-to-be-of-special/)

[Francis Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-darwin/)

> [It's nice to witness these discoveries at first hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-aspel/it-s-nice-to-witness-these-discoveries-at-first-hand/)

[Michael Aspel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-aspel/)

> [Science is the most exciting and sustained enterprise of discovery in the history of our species. It is the great adventure of our time.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/science-is-the-most-exciting-and-sustained-enterprise-of-discovery-in/)

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[K. Lee Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-lee-lerner/)

> [Out of the questions of students come most of the creative ideas and discoveries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-langer/out-of-the-questions-of-students-come-most-of-the-creative-ideas-and/)

[Ellen Langer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-langer/)

## More by Alexander Graham Bell

> [First words on the first telephone - "Mr. Watson - come here - I want to see you."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-graham-bell/first-words-on-the-first-telephone-mr-watson-come-here-i-want-to-see/)

[Alexander Graham Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-graham-bell/)

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> [ “Mr. Watson — Come here — I want to see you. \[ First intelligible words spoken over the telephone \]” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-graham-bell/mr-watson-come-here-i-want-to-see-you-first-intelligible-words-spoken/)

[Alexander Graham Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-graham-bell/)

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[Explore all 72 Alexander Graham Bell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-graham-bell/)

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> [Out of the questions of students come most of the creative ideas and discoveries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-langer/out-of-the-questions-of-students-come-most-of-the-creative-ideas-and/)

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[Idowu Koyenikan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idowu-koyenikan/)

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