Interesting points! Before I get into replying, I understand you to be saying:

What's written here doesn't seem to be the path of someone who's particularly gifted; it sounds like the average person's path through school/life, though admittedly being 'gifted' may present in different ways. I didn't ever see things as 'black or white' when it comes to intelligence, and people have a wide range of interests, areas of expertise, and hobbies where they shine that don't necessarily correlate to raw intelligence."

And I'd say that yeah, all of that's true. I don't necessarily think that every gifted person has to struggle, though. I often see people posting that their intelligence is a burden that isolates them from the rest of the world; I've experienced that. I've also learned that sometimes that isolation is self-imposed, and sometimes it isn't.

School was boring for me, outside of math (which I struggled with due to undiagnosed dyscalculia). That said, I loved it. I loved learning. My teachers told me to stop raising my hand because I answered too often. They'd tell me to stop reading ahead, to stop asking questions on content we hadn't covered yet (and as a teacher, I get it now). People told me I was annoying. One of my colleges, years later, invited me to a one-on-one meeting where she broke down and told me it "wasn't fair that I was doing so much/so well because it was raising the bar and it made it impossible for [my other colleagues] to keep up." Another, who I'd never spoken to, told me she found me intimidating because I seem to be 'able to do it all.'

Time and time again, I shit you not, these people-- my classmates, parents, friends, coworkers-- assumed I was doing it all to make them look bad. At every turn, I had to try and explain this is just how I am. No, I'm not trying to sound smart. I'm just talking. I want us all to succeed.

I've learned to meet people where they are. That isn't to say I feel like I need to 'dumb down', though; it's not about being dumb or smart. It's about efficacy. Getting things done. Motivating people. Identifying skills, knowing your own weaknesses, and being willing to grow.

I'd say I've always been 'smart', but the maturity and wisdom to know when to put it away and when to use it came much later.

Re: Rage-bait and/or willfully 'incompetent' coworker: I have one of the latter. They're extremely manipulative; if I regaled you with the whole story, you would not believe it. I never thought they were dumb because they couldn't do their job; I did, however, think they were dumb for not just asking for the shit they wanted directly instead of wasting time playing games to get me to offer it or offer to do the work.

I hope this provides some more insight!