Their older children all became doctors, but their youngest son chose/followed a different (career) 'path'.
His friends all went to college, but he chose to 'follow' a different path. [=to do something different]
He believes the average consumer is being 'led down the garden path' by the promises in advertisements.
(..) - Why haven't you spoken of this before? - Because master did not ask. He's up to something. Are you saying there's another way into Mordor? Yes. There's a path... ...and some stairs. And then... ...a tunnel. He's led us this far, Sam. Mr. Frodo, no. (..)2002 The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers