Search for jobs that would interest you and that you would consider after leaving college. While some people may have a dream job in mind, such as being an economist or an airline pilot, many people looking to motivate themselves to go to college may not know the direction they wish to take their career. Write down a list of five to 10 career paths that you would consider following.
Work through your list of careers and find job descriptions and salary expectations for those roles using career websites such as Salaryexpert.com. Mark the jobs you have listed if they require a college-level education -- you may well find that every job on your list might require a college education.
Investigate the jobs on your list further to see if there are any specific requirements. For example, if you wish to become an economist then you are strongly advised to undertake a degree and postgraduate qualification related to business, finance or economics. Browse through the average salaries for the jobs on your list and think about the sort of lifestyle you could live if you were earning that amount of money (see Resources).
Browse through U.S. Census Bureau statistics relating to the earning potential for college graduates and those who didn't go to college.
Compare the different salary and career earnings data provided by the U.S. Census Bureau and consider the type and level of college education that you wish to pursue. For example, according to the data, those who obtain a professional degree can earn $4.4 million during an approximate 40-year work life while those with a bachelor's earn less than half this amount ($2.1 million).
Look at motivating factors other than simply financial -- while money is important, it may not motivate you. Consider information provided by the University of California, Berkeley, in a tool kit they send to California high schools, which indicates that "people who have been to college are generally healthier and live longer." Furthermore, the University of California's document also indicates that college-educated people are more likely to participate in political voting and get involved with their local community.
Read literature, such as the Get Degrees list of "40 Reasons to go to College" (see Resources), that indicates the great number of benefits of going to college, both for your career and personal life.
Visit the websites of different colleges that you are interested in attending and look through the pictures of their campus and facilities. Look at the sports facilities, for example, if you are interested in playing extracurricular sports while attending college. View their theater and musical facilities if you are interested in getting involved with an arts society during your time at college. Take inspiration from the images you see and the information you read on these websites and think about how much fun you could have if you became a member of one of these societies.
Speak to friends, family members or members of your local community who have a college-level education. Ask them about their experiences, whether they would recommend attending college, and any reservations they had when deciding whether to go to college -- you might find that they identify the same issues that are holding you back from going to college.