Keep going - nothing to see here. IQ is a spectrum and not that precise but it is not meaningless. Some gifted don't look it some are glaringly obvious. Many bright but not gifted outperform gifted people, many gifted do not reach their potential.

It does not help people to tell them it is their own fault they can't achieve at the level the top kids do. Nor does it help to praise a kid doing no work for their effort.