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

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