My cbse results were motivated entirely out of spite - it works (97.2% score)
I moved to Patna in class 9th. Before that, I had been a top scorer in the small Bihar town I was raised in. In every exam, I scored insanely well: 98 percent in class 8. But ever since I moved to Patna, I lost all my old friends. The people I met here were super annoying, and I met this one guy, Ansh. Ansh is the quintessential nerd. He has very little social awareness, acts insane, doesn't attend school, is very arrogant, and in general is a very awkward person.
Ansh outscored me in every single exam from 9th to 12th pre-boards. He got 95 in 9th and 10th and got 94 in 11th, while I got 92.8. He didn't even attend the school farewell, where he got the bookworm sash from the juniors for having the highest average score over class 12th. I sat there teary-eyed as I didn't get recognized at all. I know it seems desperate and self-centered, but studying was the only thing I had. I wasn't great at any sports, couldn't sing or dance, I just studied, and I was getting destroyed by this arrogant nerd.
He even held his pre-boards marks over me, saying that he was the only person who wouldn't have to give the pre-board for the fourth time. Our school was crazy with the pre-boards; it mandated that anyone scoring below 80 percent in any subject must give another pre-boards. He scored above 80 in all, while I didn't. Even after the exams, as we were walking back, he'd hold himself up and talk like he did everything perfectly.
The results speak for themselves: I got 97.2% while he got 92.8% (best five for both). I don't think I would have been able to get this if I didn't lose that meaningless sash to him.