I qualify thingsby saying:"This may notbe right, but..."If I can doit, anyonecanI assume whenpeople arecomplementingthat they arebeing niceNever let onthat you donot knowhow to dosomethingI panic beforea test orpresentationorperformanceI should beable to domost thingsby myselfI apologizefor mistakesor for notknowingsomethingI try to be reallypersonable andfriendly so peoplewon't notice ormind if I'm not thatgood.I look reallygood on paperbut I don't reallyhave the skillsto live up to mycredentialsI hold backwhen workingwith a groupor teamI onlywon/accomplishedbecause therewasn't that muchcompetitionI succeededbecause Ihad a lot ofhelpEventuallypeople willrealize thatI'm not thatsmartIt was afluke. I canonly be thisgood onceI assume Iwill fall shortso I won't bedisappointedwhen I doI should just"get it" likeeveryonearound meI don't tellanyone Ifeel like animpostorI remind othersof how much Idon't know sothey don'texpect toomuchDon't challengeyourself for fearthat you mightlook bad if youdon't knowsomethingFailure isnot anoptionI should feellucky that Igot thisaward/jobI always sharecredit withothers even ifI did most ofthe workDo not letpeople seeyou workingtoo hardI was probablychosen/hired/admittedbecause of some kindof mistakeI qualify thingsby saying:"This may notbe right, but..."If I can doit, anyonecanI assume whenpeople arecomplementingthat they arebeing niceNever let onthat you donot knowhow to dosomethingI panic beforea test orpresentationorperformanceI should beable to domost thingsby myselfI apologizefor mistakesor for notknowingsomethingI try to be reallypersonable andfriendly so peoplewon't notice ormind if I'm not thatgood.I look reallygood on paperbut I don't reallyhave the skillsto live up to mycredentialsI hold backwhen workingwith a groupor teamI onlywon/accomplishedbecause therewasn't that muchcompetitionI succeededbecause Ihad a lot ofhelpEventuallypeople willrealize thatI'm not thatsmartIt was afluke. I canonly be thisgood onceI assume Iwill fall shortso I won't bedisappointedwhen I doI should just"get it" likeeveryonearound meI don't tellanyone Ifeel like animpostorI remind othersof how much Idon't know sothey don'texpect toomuchDon't challengeyourself for fearthat you mightlook bad if youdon't knowsomethingFailure isnot anoptionI should feellucky that Igot thisaward/jobI always sharecredit withothers even ifI did most ofthe workDo not letpeople seeyou workingtoo hardI 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 qualify things by saying: "This may not be right, but..."
  2. If I can do it, anyone can
  3. I assume when people are complementing that they are being nice
  4. Never let on that you do not know how to do something
  5. I panic before a test or presentation or performance
  6. I should be able to do most things by myself
  7. I apologize for mistakes or for not knowing something
  8. I try to be really personable and friendly so people won't notice or mind if I'm not that good.
  9. I look really good on paper but I don't really have the skills to live up to my credentials
  10. I hold back when working with a group or team
  11. I only won/accomplished because there wasn't that much competition
  12. I succeeded because I had a lot of help
  13. Eventually people will realize that I'm not that smart
  14. It was a fluke. I can only be this good once
  15. I assume I will fall short so I won't be disappointed when I do
  16. I should just "get it" like everyone around me
  17. I don't tell anyone I feel like an impostor
  18. I remind others of how much I don't know so they don't expect too much
  19. Don't challenge yourself for fear that you might look bad if you don't know something
  20. Failure is not an option
  21. I should feel lucky that I got this award/job
  22. I always share credit with others even if I did most of the work
  23. Do not let people see you working too hard
  24. I was probably chosen/hired/admitted because of some kind of mistake