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

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