When peoplepraise me for anaccomplishment,I’m afraid I won’tbe able to live upto theirexpectationsI should beable to doeverythingmyselfI tend toremember timeswhen I have notdone my bestmore than times Ihave done mybestI assume Iwill fail so Iwill not bedisappointedwhen I doI attribute myaccomplish-ments tosomethingother thanmyselfI do not tellanyone Ifeel like animpostorI should feellucky to havegotten intoschool, thejob, etc.I panicbefore a test,presentation,or interviewI avoidchallengingmyself toomuchI should be ableto anticipateproblemsbefore theyoccurI procrastinatestartingimportant tasks,as they makeme feel anxiousI do not letpeople seeme studyingor workingtoo hardI don'tfeel like IbelongI do not makedeclarativestatementslike "I knowthe answer"I struggle tofind studybuddies asothers aresmarter thanmeEventuallypeople willrealize I amunderqualifiedfor my roleI shouldautomat-ically"get it"I hold backwhenworking in agroup orteamI shouldsucceed ateverythingI doI think I washired oradmittedbecause ofsome kind ofmistakeI have oftensucceeded in atask even though Iwas afraid that Iwould not do wellI avoid expressingconfidencebecause I thinkpeople will see itas obnoxious orovercompensatingIt was afluke. I canonly be thatgood onceI try to be reallypersonable andfriendly dopeople won'tnotice if I'm notthat goodI remindothers ofhow much Ido not knowI assumethat otherpeopleare rightI have adread ofothersevaluatingmeI do notvoice myrealopinionsI look reallygood on paperbut I don't reallyhave the skills tolive up to mycredentialsI never let onthat I do notknow how todosomethingI apologizefor mistakesor for notknowingsomethingI assumewhen peoplecomplimentme, they arejust being niceWhen someoneuses anunfamiliar word,I assumeeveryone elseunderstandsI hide myaccomplish-mentsThe only way Iwill make it inSTEM is byworking harderthan othersI explain whyI do notdeserve thecomplimentI qualify questionsor comments bysaying things like,"This may not beright, but..."I alwaysshare creditwith others(even if I didall the work)When peoplepraise me for anaccomplishment,I’m afraid I won’tbe able to live upto theirexpectationsI should beable to doeverythingmyselfI tend toremember timeswhen I have notdone my bestmore than times Ihave done mybestI assume Iwill fail so Iwill not bedisappointedwhen I doI attribute myaccomplish-ments tosomethingother thanmyselfI do not tellanyone Ifeel like animpostorI should feellucky to havegotten intoschool, thejob, etc.I panicbefore a test,presentation,or interviewI avoidchallengingmyself toomuchI should be ableto anticipateproblemsbefore theyoccurI procrastinatestartingimportant tasks,as they makeme feel anxiousI do not letpeople seeme studyingor workingtoo hardI don'tfeel like IbelongI do not makedeclarativestatementslike "I knowthe answer"I struggle tofind studybuddies asothers aresmarter thanmeEventuallypeople willrealize I amunderqualifiedfor my roleI shouldautomat-ically"get it"I hold backwhenworking in agroup orteamI shouldsucceed ateverythingI doI think I washired oradmittedbecause ofsome kind ofmistakeI have oftensucceeded in atask even though Iwas afraid that Iwould not do wellI avoid expressingconfidencebecause I thinkpeople will see itas obnoxious orovercompensatingIt was afluke. I canonly be thatgood onceI try to be reallypersonable andfriendly dopeople won'tnotice if I'm notthat goodI remindothers ofhow much Ido not knowI assumethat otherpeopleare rightI have adread ofothersevaluatingmeI do notvoice myrealopinionsI look reallygood on paperbut I don't reallyhave the skills tolive up to mycredentialsI never let onthat I do notknow how todosomethingI apologizefor mistakesor for notknowingsomethingI assumewhen peoplecomplimentme, they arejust being niceWhen someoneuses anunfamiliar word,I assumeeveryone elseunderstandsI hide myaccomplish-mentsThe only way Iwill make it inSTEM is byworking harderthan othersI explain whyI do notdeserve thecomplimentI qualify questionsor comments bysaying things like,"This may not beright, but..."I alwaysshare creditwith others(even if I didall the work)

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. When people praise me for an accomplishment, I’m afraid I won’t be able to live up to their expectations
  2. I should be able to do everything myself
  3. I tend to remember times when I have not done my best more than times I have done my best
  4. I assume I will fail so I will not be disappointed when I do
  5. I attribute my accomplish-ments to something other than myself
  6. I do not tell anyone I feel like an impostor
  7. I should feel lucky to have gotten into school, the job, etc.
  8. I panic before a test, presentation, or interview
  9. I avoid challenging myself too much
  10. I should be able to anticipate problems before they occur
  11. I procrastinate starting important tasks, as they make me feel anxious
  12. I do not let people see me studying or working too hard
  13. I don't feel like I belong
  14. I do not make declarative statements like "I know the answer"
  15. I struggle to find study buddies as others are smarter than me
  16. Eventually people will realize I am underqualified for my role
  17. I should automat-ically "get it"
  18. I hold back when working in a group or team
  19. I should succeed at everything I do
  20. I think I was hired or admitted because of some kind of mistake
  21. I have often succeeded in a task even though I was afraid that I would not do well
  22. I avoid expressing confidence because I think people will see it as obnoxious or overcompensating
  23. It was a fluke. I can only be that good once
  24. I try to be really personable and friendly do people won't notice if I'm not that good
  25. I remind others of how much I do not know
  26. I assume that other people are right
  27. I have a dread of others evaluating me
  28. I do not voice my real opinions
  29. I look really good on paper but I don't really have the skills to live up to my credentials
  30. I never let on that I do not know how to do something
  31. I apologize for mistakes or for not knowing something
  32. I assume when people compliment me, they are just being nice
  33. When someone uses an unfamiliar word, I assume everyone else understands
  34. I hide my accomplish-ments
  35. The only way I will make it in STEM is by working harder than others
  36. I explain why I do not deserve the compliment
  37. I qualify questions or comments by saying things like, "This may not be right, but..."
  38. I always share credit with others (even if I did all the work)