On Sunday, 5th October, I decided to do this trek alone.
At that point, I was still struggling with health issues and trying to discover a sustainable path to behavioural change. That date is firmly etched into my life—not because of the trek itself, but because it was the day I validated an idea.
This entire exercise began after my second hospitalisation. I was actively looking for a way to fix my health.
Gym workouts were not working.
I had been in and out of gyms for years. I tried running. I tried morning walks. Nothing stuck. I was exhausted—physically and mentally.
Eventually, I did something different.
I asked ChatGPT a simple question:
What are the things I can actually do, given my constraints?
The Constraints
I was very clear about the boundaries:
- The skill level had to be extremely rudimentary
- No equipment and minimal expenses
- The activity had to be simple
- Feedback had to be quick—no long waiting periods like gym transformations
- The activity had to be shareable with colleagues and relatives
- There should be no enforcement of superiority
That last point mattered more than it seems.
When you go to the gym and post photos or videos, you are implicitly saying you are doing something “extraordinary.” The typical response is discouraging comments like:
“Teri body to dikh nahi rahi.”
I wanted to avoid that entire dynamic.
In short, I was looking for something that was not the gym.
Why Trekking
ChatGPT gave me a list of possible activities. I chose trekking because it checked every box.
Skill Level
Trekking is essentially walking uphill. Yes, it’s hard—but the required skill level is basic. Walking is one of the most fundamental human abilities. If someone can’t walk due to a medical condition, they need treatment first. For everyone else, the barrier to entry is minimal.
Equipment & Expenses
No equipment is required to start. Shoes and clothes are enough. Fancy gear can come later. What you already have is sufficient in the beginning.
Fast Feedback
Most treks are one-day treks. That means immediate feedback. Within a single day, you know whether you like it or not. No waiting months to “see results.”
Shareability
This was the biggest surprise.
Trekking produces photos—beautiful, natural, unforced photos. When you post them on WhatsApp status, you’re not saying, “Look, I’m getting healthier.”
You’re simply saying, “Hey, I did this.”
Health becomes a side effect, not the headline.
The Unexpected Outcome
After that trek, I posted a few photos. The response was immediate.
One of my customers reached out. He said he had also gone on a trek once. That simple interaction turned into an ongoing professional connection. We are still connected today.
That’s when it clicked.
This wasn’t just about health.
This was about behaviour, feedback loops, identity, and connection.
That Sunday wasn’t just a trek.
That’s how it started.