If you need to motivate yourself to do something it means you are not paying attention. Take for example the push up. On your fists, on a stick, from ropes, legs in the air, on a wall and so on. Inhale going down, no breath at all, one arm at a time, of a partner and so on. When you make something seem one dimensional it loses it’s functionality to you and so there is no dire need to do it. When you are cold and do push ups to warm up or keep limber in the sub zero desert it serves a purpose and there is movement from within without any of the silly I need to do this or that.
To me all things are breathing drills, paying attention drills, humility drills. All essential to my survival and well being. I don’t need to do push ups. I am someone who pays attention when doing push ups.
And nothing beats slow push ups in the tide 🙂 Gives a real sense of the importance of breathing and your own perception of time…
The Martial Art of Walking 