Motivated?

      Let’s say you were not living a healthy lifestyle, not exercising, and eating unhealthy foods, convinced that this is just the way you are. People convince you that you need to start eating healthy and exercising.
      So you completely change your diet, making sure you eat the correct number of calories for your body style, as research suggests. You eat a variety of fruits and vegetables, and consult the MyPyramid for nutritional guidance.
      You also begin a rigorous exercise regiment. Your closest friends and family members begin to notice that you’re looking healthier. You are feeling better. It’s beginning to become easier to live a healthy lifestyle. You haven’t quite made it yet, but you have made some big improvements in your life.
      It’s time for your annual checkup, and you find yourself sitting in a small room your doctor’s office. Rather than simply asking you about how you feel and noticing your changes in lifestyle, the doctor has you take a test, developed by a mathematician, where you are timed to see how long you can hold your breath. The test, based upon volumes of research data, suggests that you are unhealthy and should change your lifestyle. The doctor suggests you attend a weekly nutritional counseling program.


Would you continue to feel motivated? Would you think about switching doctors?


      Let’s say a student was a struggling reader and writer, trying to avoid doing any work during reading and writing time, convinced that he isn’t good at school. His teacher convinces him that he needs to start working hard on his reading and writing.
      So he completely changes his writing time. He sets a goal for himself, trying to increase the number of words he writes every day. He meets with his teacher and begins to try to apply what he is learning in mini lessons into his writing, improving the quality.
      He also words hard at his reading, practicing every night. Reading and writing are starting to get a little easier.
      It is testing time of the year, and he finds himself sitting in a small unfamiliar room with a test administrator. Rather than asking how reading and writing has been going and noticing the change in behavior and performance in the classroom, the administrator has him take a test, developed by a researcher, where he has to read as many words as he can in a minute. The test, based upon volumes of research data, suggest that he requires an intensive intervention, and he needs lots of extra help to get better. He is sent to attend a daily intervention program.


Would he continue to feel motivated? Does he have any say in the matter?