I'm on the same boat, I tried every trick and it doesn't work. The two things that do help is whem I got to my maximum, lifting the weight was really hard, so I don't have too much leeway to think about anything else beside the movement or I'll injure myself. I ended up preferring music i already listened to many times just to cover the noise i don't listen to it.

The really boring part are the 90s breaks in between. I read a book during that time, at least I look forward something in between the reps.

Finally, going 6 times a week (3 cardio and 3 strength) has been the biggest help. With 4 I will say "i'm tired, I'll do it tomorrow". With 6 I say "tomorrow I have to do two sessions in one day if I don't go", so I don't want to skip. Combine that with the new mindset of "it's weird not going to the gym today" because I go so often, it's been really helpful. I also minimize the time spent in the gym: 1 hour for the strength training (30 minutes are spent resting, haven't found a way to speed that up), and 30 minutes HIIT training for cardio. Cardio is so short that doesn't bother me anymore and it's so intense that I don't have much time to feel bored.

Have a goal, and measure your progress towards that goal. If "get stronger" is enough, great; but if not, find some challenging activity you enjoy and want to improve at, and do the resistance training that will help you get better. Personally I find that much more motivating; just knowing there are health benefits never really did it for me.

Really really important to write down what you do. Progress is not always fast, but if you keep records, you'll see it, and that really helps with motivation.

IMO podcasts and such are not so good for strength training specifically, though for endurance work they're fine. You really want to give full intensity to getting through that last rep (with good form). You're training your ability to push through discomfort as much as you are your muscle's theoretical inherent strength.

A very good question, I honestly don't have good enough generic answer - if you just can't force yourself to go to gym, find other sports that work for you. And anyway it shouldn't be about forcing, I enjoy the hormone kick and tiredness afterwards. The biggest mental hurdle is getting to the starting point, afterwards it goes automatically, no excuses.

Gym is anyway just a good synthetic replacement for actual workouts out there, ideally you should attack the goal of getting stronger and having more stamina from as many angles as possible.

For me, its: climbing, hiking/camping, alpinism, ski touring, paragliding (if you hike up 1000m with 12kg backpack, your quads and joints do notice, and sometimes you have to walk down too). Gym, either cardio, body weight or free weights is just supplement to that during rainy days, injuries etc.

I like to do HIIT with body weight. Admittedly, I've been off the wagon for awhile, but this site kept things interesting for me: https://darebee.com

Do pull ups. Much more fun and satisfying than push ups

I have limitations that preclude pull ups, unfortunately

How heavy are you going? It definitely isn't boring to do heavy squats.

It is. It’s mind numbing for me. I workout best when my body feels fluid with the machine (like I do on an elliptical, almost a “high” if you will)

I can never achieve this with weight training thus far, every time I try it.

Using weighted balls I’ve come semi close, the tactile feedback of the ball helps immensely to give me something to focus on, but I haven’t found a “full” workout with that as of yet, and supposedly I need heavier ones.

I like that I can do 45 minutes on an elliptical without even noticing because it’s repetitive by design. I need the same for strength training that lets me master a predefined set of things over and over

You could start with farmer's carry, if you have some free space to walk in the gym. Lift two equal weights on each side, using both hands and walk for 1 minute. Start with easy weights and increase gradually, over a period of days/weeks to a point, where lifting and walking for a minute makes you really exhausted and by the end of the minute you are ready to drop the weights (but don't!).

Edit: Just be careful of back being straight and firm, while doing it.