you dont need to be hard working to get an A or motivated or intelligent, ive seen it countless times.
i know people who are dumb as hell that get A*s and i know clever people that get Es, i know clever people who get A*s and dumb people that get Es
grades have 0 corrolation with intelligence whatsoever, so to say it makes you clever to get an A is dumb, and to say it makes you dumb is dumb