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

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