God, ain't that the truth about motivation and cross-town commutes to the gym. I tend to avoid gyms for those very reasons. I prefer a jog outdoors or swimming in a pool unless there's just no other choice.
I joined Bally's years ago, I had a choice of two of them to go to in the area. The first choice, a basic gym, the weights, pool, sauna, whirlpool/jacuzzi. Place was open from 6 AM to 10 PM and was packed from 6 AM to 9 AM and 5 PM to 10 PM. These were the hours anyone with a career usually had time to squeeze in before an 8 AM to 5 PM workday.
There was a 45-60 minute commute for 28 miles to get home from work, the effort to dress for the workout and then the 3 mile drive west, in what was staggerred rush hours of traffic. this added another 15-20 minutes thru local road traffic to get to the gym after the daily work commute.
The other Bally's, about the same 3 miles, only north, to a facility that was more like a YMCA, it had the running track, tennis courts in addition to the weight training facility the other Bally's was. No lie, 3 months after trying that place out, the power/lighting was in disrepair, a man was electrocuted and died playing on the tennis courts.
As it is now, I get home (that commute is 50-60 minutes on a good day for 22.5 miles), go out into the neighborhood on my bike, I ride up and down each street a few blocks. I don't go very far from home, yet rack up some mileage in case weather gets bad or injury occurs, even a flat tire. There are a couple of parks and school yards not but a few blocks so a soccer ball, basketball and a pickup game is extremely convenient.
Anyway, gyms can be a great place to workout, they're not for everyone, but neither is the type of workout I do. I will say in my teens and 20's the bulk free weights @ a gym was my choice, then again, I was in either in HS or college, the gym was in biking distance of the apartment, even where I went to school everyday and a mandatory PE class with choices. The college gym was a smaller gym too and didn't have a ridiculously unmanageable membership. As a college student hour flexibility was built in to my day/schedule. I guess the point is, motivate yourself for what works for yourself. When one stops working and ceases to be productive, find something else rather than quit.
BTW, where I live now, they installed a gym. Jerks charge above and beyond monthly rent for the access key to the facility. Nobody uses the facility. The whole point of the amenity was to lure renters with a convenience, the fee defeats that purpose. Oh well ?