I should feellucky that Igot thisdeal/case/jobI should beable to domost thingsby myselfI apologizefor mistakesor for notknowingsomethingI always sharecredit withothers even ifI did most ofthe workI assume whenpeople arecomplementingthat they arebeing niceI was probablychosen/hired/admittedbecause of some kindof mistakeI hold backwhen workingwith a groupor teamNever let onthat you donot knowhow to dosomethingFailure isnot anoptionI don't tellanyone Ifeel like animpostorI should just"get it" likeeveryonearound meI panic beforea test orpresentationorperformanceIf I can doit, anyonecanEventuallypeople willrealize thatI'm not thatsmartI remind othersof how much Idon't know sothey don'texpect toomuchI assume Iwill fall shortso I won't bedisappointedwhen I doI onlywon/accomplishedbecause therewasn't that muchcompetitionI try to be reallypersonable andfriendly so peoplewon't notice ormind if I'm not thatgood.It was afluke. I canonly be thisgood onceI succeededbecause Ihad a lot ofhelpI look reallygood on paperbut I don't reallyhave the skillsto live up to mycredentialsDon't challengeyourself for fearthat you mightlook bad if youdon't knowsomethingDo not letpeople seeyou workingtoo hardI qualify thingsby saying:"This may notbe right, but..."I should feellucky that Igot thisdeal/case/jobI should beable to domost thingsby myselfI apologizefor mistakesor for notknowingsomethingI always sharecredit withothers even ifI did most ofthe workI assume whenpeople arecomplementingthat they arebeing niceI was probablychosen/hired/admittedbecause of some kindof mistakeI hold backwhen workingwith a groupor teamNever let onthat you donot knowhow to dosomethingFailure isnot anoptionI don't tellanyone Ifeel like animpostorI should just"get it" likeeveryonearound meI panic beforea test orpresentationorperformanceIf I can doit, anyonecanEventuallypeople willrealize thatI'm not thatsmartI remind othersof how much Idon't know sothey don'texpect toomuchI assume Iwill fall shortso I won't bedisappointedwhen I doI onlywon/accomplishedbecause therewasn't that muchcompetitionI try to be reallypersonable andfriendly so peoplewon't notice ormind if I'm not thatgood.It was afluke. I canonly be thisgood onceI succeededbecause Ihad a lot ofhelpI look reallygood on paperbut I don't reallyhave the skillsto live up to mycredentialsDon't challengeyourself for fearthat you mightlook bad if youdon't knowsomethingDo not letpeople seeyou workingtoo hardI qualify thingsby saying:"This may notbe right, but..."

Impostor Syndrome Bingo - Call List

(Print) Use this randomly generated list as your call list when playing the game. There is no need to say the BINGO column name. Place some kind of mark (like an X, a checkmark, a dot, tally mark, etc) on each cell as you announce it, to keep track. You can also cut out each item, place them in a bag and pull words from the bag.


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  1. I should feel lucky that I got this deal/case/job
  2. I should be able to do most things by myself
  3. I apologize for mistakes or for not knowing something
  4. I always share credit with others even if I did most of the work
  5. I assume when people are complementing that they are being nice
  6. I was probably chosen/hired/admitted because of some kind of mistake
  7. I hold back when working with a group or team
  8. Never let on that you do not know how to do something
  9. Failure is not an option
  10. I don't tell anyone I feel like an impostor
  11. I should just "get it" like everyone around me
  12. I panic before a test or presentation or performance
  13. If I can do it, anyone can
  14. Eventually people will realize that I'm not that smart
  15. I remind others of how much I don't know so they don't expect too much
  16. I assume I will fall short so I won't be disappointed when I do
  17. I only won/accomplished because there wasn't that much competition
  18. I try to be really personable and friendly so people won't notice or mind if I'm not that good.
  19. It was a fluke. I can only be this good once
  20. I succeeded because I had a lot of help
  21. I look really good on paper but I don't really have the skills to live up to my credentials
  22. Don't challenge yourself for fear that you might look bad if you don't know something
  23. Do not let people see you working too hard
  24. I qualify things by saying: "This may not be right, but..."