Recognise the genius in others. (And study!) (Score 1)

Everyone on this planet is better than you in some way. When you train yourself to easily tune in to their strengths, you will be able to relate on an effective level. (Then they will be able to see your genius too.) Also, get good grades. You know when you've studied enough or not. If you can get a 4.0, go sit at the table and crack a book. You mentioned it; it matters. Good grades are worth it if you really love learning. They are a ticket to creating knowledge. Some day life could present you with questions that you will want to answer. If you love learning, you will get to the end of that road and still have questions. What comes next? If you have the credentials, a university might let you use their resources to answer them. You have to earn that through fierce dedication though. That will mean focusing on things you might not be interested in at the moment. Quit distracting yourself with "love of learning" -- of course it's easy to wander about the library. You will have enough time to browse the world. Is this pushing a button? Own up; get to work.