I work out solo all the time so the only person to motivate me is myself. When it gets tough I remember some things I've heard from various 'famous' trainers.
And I agree with a lot of what has been said by others, it is the whole 'mind over matter' thing, no matter how you want to phrase it.

Quotes like:

Jeanette Jenkins "your body is going to do what your mind tells it to"

Billy Blanks "your mind got you where you are today, and your mind's gonna get you to where you wanna be tomorrow" (or something like that)

My own technique is just to tell myself "just a little further (when running), just a few more minutes, and it'll be a bonus" so I start out with moderate expectations, so when I exceed those expectations, it's an achievement, cuz I think, "hmm.. no way I'll be able to do that," then the competitive side of me kicks in and says, "I'm not gonna let this beat me, I'm gonna tear it up".

There are some amazing group fitness instructors at my gym and I definitely feel like I work WAY harder in their classes than I would on my own. I think I feed off of the energy more than anything- both from the instructors and the other people in class. But the instructors definitely set the tone and by the end we're all yelling and hollering and gritting our teeth to finish the race, jump a little higher, punch a little harder, etc. I like to feel like a bada$$ when I workout, so I am always incredibly motivated when they acknowledge how hard it is and challenge us to push ourselves further than we thought we could. They sometimes say cheesy/cliche things, but it works for me. Some of my favorite quotes (all said in an energetic yell over loud music :))-
"If this were easy, everyone would do it!"
"Pain is temporary, quitting lasts forever!"
"Feel the burn, feel every muscle fiber in your legs working. Acknolwedge it and PUSH PAST IT!" (this one is also usually followed closely by a "get over yourself!" or "get out of your own way!"
"Take it out of your mind, put it into your legs!"
And specific to spin class "Ride it like you stole it!"
They also seem to emphasize the team aspect of these classes, encouraging us to stick together, stay with the pack, nobody slows down at the finish line, we're all doing this together etc.

Good luck with everything! I'm sure that for every stubborn unmotivated one, there are 20 others who are definitely picking up what you're putting down- and enjoying every painful second of it!

Yes! This is what I was looking for! I often ask them, "do you feel the burn?" and when they do, I say, "OK! Ten more reps (or 20) DO it! Feel it! You can get past the burn! The Burn is just an indicator that YOU are making yourself stronger/faster RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!" I go on and on with stuff like that. More times than not, peeps come up to after and tell me they never would have done ten more reps at that point and thank me. This guy? He just complains. However, he keeps signing up. Has his whole family signed up. He volunteers, he raises money. I think he just likes to hear himself biotch.

He's come a long way. But he can be an elite athlete (genetically) if he just got himself over this hump. Even post 40 yrs old.

you can lead a horse to water....

I just like to feel that I gave an honest effort to improve myself and spent my time well - and I know that that means pushing myself, so that's what I do. Working with a personal trainer a while back helped me learn what it felt like to really push myself, and I think his positive encouragement and constructive criticism about techniques and reps (combined with a laid-back personality) were helpful. Personally, I find a lot of common motivational techniques - the intense all-or-nothing tack, the GySgt Hartman school of motivation, and the attempts at I-know-it's-hard-touchy-feely-ness - to be very demotivational. Working out at a run-of-the-mill gym to attain better overall health isn't a do-or-die matter, I have no use for people who insult me because I won't or can't meet their arbitrary demands, and I don't need to be condescended to like I'm a recalcitrant 5 year old. When I work with a personal trainer or take part in a group exercise class all I want is positive support, a guide to progressing in whatever activity we're doing (e.g., weight-lifting, martial arts, etc.), and tips on improving my performance on specific exercises, strength indicators, or types of activities. If I don't feel like I'm getting that, but am instead leaving sessions feeling like I've been judged or harassed, I find other things to do with my time. I have goals and I am willing to work to meet them, but I do things in a way and at a pace that works for me. That's usually the only way I can get anything done, feel good about it, and be able to sustain it. And as far as I'm concerned, anybody who's got a problem with that can shove off. People who keep it positive, simple, and specific are the ones I enjoy working with and who help me stay motivated to work hard and move forward.


I think you've probably got this guy pegged right. It's quite possible that attaining an exceptional level of fitness isn't really his goal or motivation.