Can't seem to stay motivated

MFP is a big motivation for me, it helps to see my other friends progress & reading the forums. Also, looking at my fat *kitten* in the mirror is pretty big motivation. Sometimes I look at pictures of "fitspo" online & motivational quotes. I lost a lot of weight once and then over the last 3 years I gained it all back, when I realized I was 5 lbs away from my highest weight, that really motivated me to get back into shape!

You said you were entering college and were no longer going to be involved in sports. Firstly, there are always club or intramural sports at most colleges/universities. The end of HS isn't the end of sports, it's just a new path. I'm a coach. I've worked with athletes and coaches with Olympic Gold and Silver, I've worked with younger athletes on that same path. I've worked with athletes that will top out at DI and others that are content with DIII and even more that won't play beyond HS. It would amaze people what really separates one level from the next. There are those at the International/Pro level that are legitimately in that 1-2% range of athletes. Those that are simply very gifted physically coupled with a very strong and competitive drive. That next group down(at least in the States) makes up the majority of DI athletes and in my opinion the separation between them and 'every body else' is drive/motivation.

I've seen more than my share of athletes who are just as gifted and in some cases more gifted than their counterparts who are competing at a higher level. Seeing this gave me pause to re-evaluate just why one is where they are and the other is in the position they are in. Paying closer attention it became head slapping obvious. Drive / Motivation was the differentiator. I was at the Olympic Training Center (OTC) in Colorado Springs a number of years ago and on this particular trip I had the opportunity to listen in on a conversation with one of our National Team Soccer coaches. She described this dynamic in excellent terms. Paraphrasing her; there are three levels of competitiveness. The first being athletes who simply compete. They love playing sports and the simple act of playing makes them happy. The second level is that athlete that only competes hard when there is something on the line. Practice to them is 50/50 but game day they are 100% committed. That third level athlete is the one who will compete for the sake of competing. The type of person who is always competing against someone, in some capacity be it publicly or silently in their head.

None of this is to say there aren't excepetions. There most certainly are.I don't know what type of athlete you are but I can deduce by your post what level competitor you are. Flip that switch. Try and re-evaluate your view on your athletic career. I would argue it isn't really over but it will be if that is how you want to define it. Bottom line, your motivation should be you. Find that level three competitior within yourself and compete. Not everybody can be that 1-2% athlete but everyone can be that level three competitor.

Hardest part for me is just getting to the gym. It's so easy to just go home after work and crash so there's days I literally have to force myself to get in the car and drive to the gym. Once I get there though it's like a change of attitude and I'm ready to go.

Forget the fact he's a massive bodybuilder. Listen to him and learn.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suCOYGFKuto

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrd8qnLQC0Q

If this doesn't motivate you I've no idea whatever will tbh.

Enjoy.