Self handicapping means that individuals coordinate obstacles in advance to create a reasonable excuse for failure, so as to protect their self-worth and maintain their self-image.
According to the above definition, Xiao Zhou and Xiao Tian running for monitor together, with Xiao Tian telling his friends that Xiao Zhou studied well and was popular, working as a cadre in the student association and being liked better by teachers, before finally being elected monitor, belongs to self handicapping.