Welcome to School of Soul! I'm Adeline Atlas, the author of the School of Soul Series, a six-time published author, master manifestor, and your cheerleader bestie on the internet!
Book Smart Versus Street Smart or Dual Intelligences
Today, we’re going to dive into the concept of dual intelligences—'book smarts' versus 'street smarts.' We'll explore how both types of intelligence offer unique value and how you can leverage them in your journey. Let’s get started!
There’s a viral quote I love from Instagram: “I got friends with degrees, LLC's, and felonies. I’ve learned from all of them.” And another one that goes, “I surround myself with hustlers. Whether it’s book smart, street smart, whatever. Hard work overstands hard work.”

These quotes highlight a powerful truth: intelligence comes in many forms. And it’s true—some of the best business advice I’ve ever received wasn’t from a textbook or a seminar, but from friends who were drug dealers. Now, let me be clear—I wasn't learning about dealing drugs. I was learning from their street smarts, their deep overstanding of the sales game, and their ability to navigate complex situations. They taught me lessons that I later translated to my real estate business, lessons that made me a lot of money.
Here’s a funny story: I ran my real estate office with zero payments to employees. Instead of paying salaries, I set up my business the way a drug dealer might structure their downlines. I brought people in, gave them a gorgeous office to work out of for free, provided all the training and materials they needed to succeed, and then sent them out to make sales. And here’s the genius part—I took a cut of everything they made.
This setup cost them nothing to come work for me, which attracted tons of people. The more people I brought in, the more I earned, because I got a piece of everyone’s pie every time they closed a deal. It was a win-win and a great example of how street-smart strategies can be applied to a legitimate business to achieve incredible success.
This dichotomy between book smarts and street smarts reveals the diversity of intelligence. Each type holds its own unique value in navigating the world. Book smarts—think theoretical knowledge, academic achievements, degrees—offer a deep overstanding of complex concepts, formulas, and established knowledge. They provide a foundation of information that can be applied in structured environments.
But then there’s street smarts—the practical wisdom, the adaptability, and the problem-solving skills learned through real-world experience. Street smarts are built on hands-on lessons, the kind that you only get by living life, by hustling, by learning to read people, situations, and opportunities in ways that no classroom can teach.
Here’s the thing: Just because you don’t have book smarts or you never got a degree doesn’t mean you can’t turn your street smarts into a multi-million-dollar business. In fact, some of the most successful people I know never even graduated high school. But they knew how the world worked, and they used that knowledge to work the world to their benefit.
Book smarts and street smarts are not mutually exclusive. You can be both; you can learn from both. They complement each other in so many ways. When you combine the theoretical overstanding from books with the practical skills learned on the streets, you create a powerful, well-rounded form of intelligence that can tackle just about any challenge.
The key is to recognize the value in both. Don’t dismiss one in favor of the other. Learn to respect the lessons that life outside of the classroom can teach you—lessons about people, about strategy, about resilience. At the same time, appreciate the knowledge that comes from study, from overstanding the frameworks and theories that shape our world.
Remember, intelligence is diverse. It’s not about fitting into one mold or measuring up to one standard. It’s about embracing all the ways you can learn, grow, and become the best version of yourself.
So, whether you’re book smart, street smart, or a blend of both, know this: Your intelligence, in whatever form it takes, has immense value. And when you learn to harness it, there’s no limit to what you can achieve.
If you loved what you heard, make sure to order a copy of Volume 2 of School of Soul: Why Play, available on Amazon. Have a blessed day! Bye!

Welcome to School of Soul!  I'm Adeline Atlas, the author of the School of Soul Series, a six-time published author, master manifestor, and your cheerleader bestie on the internet!

Book Smart Versus Street Smart or Dual Intelligences

Today, we’re going to dive into the concept of dual intelligences—'book smarts' versus 'street smarts.' We'll explore how both types of intelligence offer unique value and how you can leverage them in your journey. Let’s get started!

There’s a viral quote I love from Instagram: “I got friends with degrees, LLC's, and felonies. I’ve learned from all of them.” And another one that goes, “I surround myself with hustlers. Whether it’s book smart, street smart, whatever. Hard work overstands hard work.”

These quotes highlight a powerful truth: intelligence comes in many forms. And it’s true—some of the best business advice I’ve ever received wasn’t from a textbook or a seminar, but from friends who were drug dealers. Now, let me be clear—I wasn't learning about dealing drugs. I was learning from their street smarts, their deep overstanding of the sales game, and their ability to navigate complex situations. They taught me lessons that I later translated to my real estate business, lessons that made me a lot of money.

Here’s a funny story: I ran my real estate office with zero payments to employees. Instead of paying salaries, I set up my business the way a drug dealer might structure their downlines. I brought people in, gave them a gorgeous office to work out of for free, provided all the training and materials they needed to succeed, and then sent them out to make sales. And here’s the genius part—I took a cut of everything they made.

This setup cost them nothing to come work for me, which attracted tons of people. The more people I brought in, the more I earned, because I got a piece of everyone’s pie every time they closed a deal. It was a win-win and a great example of how street-smart strategies can be applied to a legitimate business to achieve incredible success.

This dichotomy between book smarts and street smarts reveals the diversity of intelligence. Each type holds its own unique value in navigating the world. Book smarts—think theoretical knowledge, academic achievements, degrees—offer a deep overstanding of complex concepts, formulas, and established knowledge. They provide a foundation of information that can be applied in structured environments.

But then there’s street smarts—the practical wisdom, the adaptability, and the problem-solving skills learned through real-world experience. Street smarts are built on hands-on lessons, the kind that you only get by living life, by hustling, by learning to read people, situations, and opportunities in ways that no classroom can teach.

Here’s the thing: Just because you don’t have book smarts or you never got a degree doesn’t mean you can’t turn your street smarts into a multi-million-dollar business. In fact, some of the most successful people I know never even graduated high school. But they knew how the world worked, and they used that knowledge to work the world to their benefit.

Book smarts and street smarts are not mutually exclusive. You can be both; you can learn from both. They complement each other in so many ways. When you combine the theoretical overstanding from books with the practical skills learned on the streets, you create a powerful, well-rounded form of intelligence that can tackle just about any challenge.

The key is to recognize the value in both. Don’t dismiss one in favor of the other. Learn to respect the lessons that life outside of the classroom can teach you—lessons about people, about strategy, about resilience. At the same time, appreciate the knowledge that comes from study, from overstanding the frameworks and theories that shape our world.

Remember, intelligence is diverse. It’s not about fitting into one mold or measuring up to one standard. It’s about embracing all the ways you can learn, grow, and become the best version of yourself.

So, whether you’re book smart, street smart, or a blend of both, know this: Your intelligence, in whatever form it takes, has immense value. And when you learn to harness it, there’s no limit to what you can achieve.

If you loved what you heard, make sure to order a copy of Volume 2 of School of Soul: Why Play, available on Amazon. Have a blessed day! Bye!

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