"And these little things may not seem like much but after a while they take you off on a direction where you may be a long way off from what other people have been thinking about"

Small actions, thoughts, or idiosyncratic choices, while seemingly insignificant in the moment, accumulate and gradually influence our paths in profound ways. Roger Penrose observes how the “little things” in life, subtle preferences, tiny decisions, fleeting inspirations, shape our perspectives, sometimes imperceptibly. Over time, these nuances can reroute our journey so substantially that we find ourselves on a trajectory distinct from those around us. This divergence isn’t abrupt or dramatic; rather, it’s the result of a slow build-up, akin to the way a tiny course deviation in navigation eventually results in destinations vastly apart.

The underlying implication is twofold: both the power and unpredictability of cumulative changes. We easily overlook minor details or dismiss our personal quirks as trivial. Yet, adhered to over years, they become signatures of individuality, setting our thought processes and even life outcomes apart from collective norms. Scientific and creative fields especially flourish through such divergence. Thinkers who pay attention to faint patterns or nurture unconventional approaches may travel intellectual routes that seem circuitous or isolated, but precisely for this reason, they can explore territories left untouched by the mainstream. Innovation often arises when someone nurtures their unique collection of “little things” over a long period, rather than suppressing them to conform with prevailing opinions.

There’s also a message about authenticity and courage here. Penrose’s insight encourages self-trust: it’s valid, even necessary, to honor those minor inclinations, for they cumulatively lead you somewhere uniquely yours. Instead of fearing being “a long way off from what other people have been thinking about,” there is value in that remoteness. Human progress, after all, thrives when individuals think along unfamiliar lines, whether in science, art, or daily life. The wisdom is to recognize, respect, and sometimes cultivate life’s small peculiarities, for these often forecast genuinely original contributions.