I like Burns' advice. I also had the piss taken out of me in school for a while... You need to find something you're good at and push yourself until you're kicking arse. I was a skinny kid and my mum used to tell me I was built for speed. I took this to heart and ended up being the best sprinter in the school because I believed in myself. I would be lapping kids that were taking the piss out of me before and just laughing over my shoulder. I gained some respect that way.