Motivation reaches max at trainer level 35?!

I'm a L37 and approaching L38. The motivation for me now is to max out pokemon, having already covered a lot of depth for a lot of types.

I was a low L36 when the raids began and I remember I had 1 good Ttar and 3 dragons, and only extensive coverage from water and fire (vapes and flareons galore). Now I'm on 4 Ttars (1 maxed) and 5 dragons (1 maxed) along with a slew of stuff from all the main attackers (6 Golem, 4 Machamp)

My focus is to max out pokemon even though I know

1. They won't be significantly stronger than a L30 and
   2. It is a 'waste of Stardust'.

However it is still fun to watch the CP rise and having my top page appear 'stronger'! Also, maxing out pokemon finally allows me to try things like 2 manning a Tyranitar.

Also just reached 35. It's tough and the goal is to be level 40. You can't be the very best if you can't, at least, be at max level. I just wished my old phone didn't die permanently on me 7 months back. I could have been 40 by now or earlier...or I could have stopped playing because I also didn't (hypothetically) aspired to be the very best.

I'm lvl 36, right now my motivation is to do all kinds of level 3 raids that I can by myself, with teams of different pokemon. Not teams of 6 exxegutor against a vaporeon, for example. I don't like using the same pokemon like I see many players doing, It just isn't fun for me.

Last week, I solo-ed a vaporeon raid with this team:

Venusaur 2235
Exxegutor 2644
Vileplume 1611
Zapdos 2310
Dragonite 3044
(only used these 5, the other one was a Jolteon)

So I guess the advice for motivation is: try to power up your favorite pokemons that aren't top tier lists, because powered up they can be used just as the other top tier guys.

Now that I already caught a good IV Raikou, I just do raids for the TMs or rare candies and fun! So it's cool to use a different team, like sandslash, marowak, nidoqueen... I probably won't get the extra 3 premierballs for damage but these pokes powered up get the job done!

Why lv35 and not, say, 34 or 36?

Like others said, the ability to max out Pokémon (although a lucrative way could be to use multiple devices to power up, of you are lv35 and being your Pokémon to one power up before maxing out, Pokémon lv36, it would take 6 devices to reach Pokémon lv39, 8 for 40)

Once I hit 38 my motivation stopped trying to rack in xp and has now shifted to solely focus on stardust-I use my coins on incubators and occasionally a raid pass

Also I've found the fastest way to rack in xp is to hold off on mass evolves, grind as much as possible during the double xp events, and save your candies for mass evolves during such time periods

At this point (I'm level 37) the only remaining motivation is good-humoured, sporting, leaderboard competition with people you know, especially people you've met through PoGo. Who's got the most/highest whatever ... There's also still a little satisfaction in defending one's neighborhood territory, keeping it your team color as much as possible (although I allow other teams a sportsmanlike 8 hours for people to collect coins). Finally it's collecting max IVs (preferably 100%) of all the top attackers. That last goal in turn requires still a fair bit of grinding to get (ideally) teams of 6 ideal attackers so that you can do the legendaries with max damage bonus (more balls, better chance to catch) and with the least hassle trying to get a large raid group together.

Not for me. I'm level 37 now, and still look forward to leveling up, but I don't feel any urgent need to reach 40. My main incentive to play hasn't changed - this is the best exercise app ever, and I walk or bike almost every day. I also like kicking local rivals out of gyms (oops, I meant sending them home with coins ;-) and doing raids, usually alone. My personal goal right now is successfully soloing a tier 3 boss using optimal counters.

I can't get any legendaries (lack of crowds - rural) and I've accepted that.... But please, Niantic, we need another special event (or Gen 3!)