Intelligence vs. Education
Education is what you've been taught. Intelligence is how quickly you learn, how well you reason, and how effectively you solve novel problems. You can be highly educated and average intelligence, or minimally educated and brilliant. The correlation exists but it's weaker than people assume.
Signs of Raw Intelligence
You learn new skills faster than peers. You see solutions before you can explain the steps. You notice inconsistencies that others miss. You can apply knowledge from one domain to a completely different one. These are intelligence markers independent of education.
Why It Matters
If you're smart but undereducated, the fix is exposure — read, take courses, seek mentors. If you're educated but average intelligence, the fix is strategy — use systems, checklists, and collaboration to compensate. Knowing which applies to you changes your approach to growth.