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

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