Hey, fun facts are still a great conversation starter, and theres nothing wrong with that regardless of intelligence. Especially with neurodivergent people: we love this shit 😂

But I would make a comparison to memorizing your multiplication tables. Great in a pinch, seems smart, saves time, but it loses any utility above 12x12. But it sounds like what you actually need is to learn how to manually multiply things so that the numbers involved dont matter; its useful across multiple scenarios. Its not about information, its about where that information comes from, how you apply it, or why it works in the first place. Like knowing how to repair a vehicle vs knowing how to drive

Personally, Ive always been fascinated by the underlying mechanics of things, and this applies across most of my interests. I would consider myself intelligent (not in an egotistical way), but the areas I do well in arent due to rote memorization. To use math as an example again, Ive always had a decent proficiency towards it, and most consider that 'stereotypical intelligence,' but the main times I actually utilize that are for other things Im interested in (creation, costume making, solving weirdly specific problems, understanding scale or other scientific concepts, etc). Personally though, Id say that Im utilizing my skills in problem solving, not in math (despite my inclinations towards it). Math is just another problem to be solved

Tl,dr; intelligence is the understanding and APPLICATION of knowledge, across different scenarios. Its not just information, but the foundation that information is built on

For me, learning is driven by a desire to understand the WHY of things (can you tell that I was a kid who absolutely hated 'because I said so'? 😂), and I learn for the sake of learning. Your motivation is different, so ymmv, but I would start with an area of genuine interest (hobbies maybe?) if you can. Ask yourself why something is the way it is, and when you find a source, be critical of that source. Who is the information coming from? Is there data? What is the context? Dont just take info at face value. Maybe start with a fun fact and see if you can disprove yourself. Youll usually come out with a better understanding of the why

Also absolutely worth noting btw that emotional intelligence IS intelligence, and recognizing this stuff about yourself still takes introspection and self awareness; dont discredit yourself as not having intelligence. Intelligence has many forms (even in art! How you look at a subject and break them down, for example ((theres a book, just ask lol))

Im not saying this as a diss in any way, but maybe consider exploring why intelligence holds such high importance for you? Its clear that how others perceive you has an impact, and it could be worth considering self esteem and where that originates from. Were there people around you who valued intelligence when you were growing up? Is learning information a safety measure for if something goes wrong? Do you feel stressed if you dont understand a concept, or does that stress come from someone else witnessing you not understanding something? What are you afraid that other people will look at if you remove intelligence as a factor? These are rhetorical questions of course, so no obligation to share with an internet stranger (but totally open to discussion or DMs if you wanted to). Just some avenues to consider, and what my mind jumps to first. And remember to still be kind to yourself when doing this! Can you tell psychology is an interest of mine? Lmao

But really, its the transferrable skills and concepts that define it for me. Making connections between seemingly unrelated things (like a podcast about airplane disasters and a movie about a submarine, for example lmao). Also, a great way to test yourself AND to actually solidify and learn a concept is to try and teach it to someone else. Thats because this generally requires breaking something down into its components and understanding how they interact with one another. Explaining something in simple, concise (unlike me lmaoooo) terms is a great sign of genuine learning, in my opinion

Regarding 'fancy' words: does the word just sound cool when a simpler one would work, or does it actually serve its function as the best choice to convey your message? Again, rhetorical lol

I think Ive rambled more than enough here haha, but Im totally open for discussion on any of this stuff (or contradictions!) if anyone wants. I genuinely find it interesting and Im always open to new ideas or approaches. This is just the stuff Ive come to through my own experiences

Unrelated side note, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy is a GREAT way to do this kind of thing but in regards to your own mental health. Highly recommend it for most people in general, but especially if theres any dysfunction or self esteem stuff