IQ is quite heritable, something about h = 0.7 for adults is a good average I've seen from a couple reviews. That's quite strong, though interestingly it's lower for children.
Now, you can argue about interpreting IQ all you like, but it's really a moot point because the metric captures some of the variation humans have in cognitive ability. It doesn't mean that there's a neat linear scale (a simplification like IQ metrics leads some to falsely conclude this), but there is variation nonetheless, and it's mostly due to your genes, not your upbringing.
Does that mean you were gifted? Not necessarily; advantages in some aspects of cognition likely come with a trade-off for others. Those we consider gifted likely just have a good match of abilities with the challenges they face.
However, I would caution against the other extreme; you did not simply pull yourself up by your bootstraps in some sort of meritocratic Riefenstahl-ian fantasy. You most certainly had some advantages and fortune.
Now, you can argue about interpreting IQ all you like, but it's really a moot point because the metric captures some of the variation humans have in cognitive ability. It doesn't mean that there's a neat linear scale (a simplification like IQ metrics leads some to falsely conclude this), but there is variation nonetheless, and it's mostly due to your genes, not your upbringing.
Does that mean you were gifted? Not necessarily; advantages in some aspects of cognition likely come with a trade-off for others. Those we consider gifted likely just have a good match of abilities with the challenges they face.
However, I would caution against the other extreme; you did not simply pull yourself up by your bootstraps in some sort of meritocratic Riefenstahl-ian fantasy. You most certainly had some advantages and fortune.