I assume whenpeople arecomplementingthat they arebeing niceI should beable to domost thingsby myselfI don't tellanyone Ifeel like animpostorIf I can doit, anyonecanI look reallygood on paperbut I don't reallyhave the skills tolive up to mycredentialsI should just"get it" likeeveryonearound meI was probablychosen/hired/admittedbecause of some kindof mistakeFailure isnot anoptionI qualifythings bysaying: "Thismay not beright, but..."I succeededbecause Ihad a lot ofhelpI always sharecredit withothers even ifI did most ofthe workI should feellucky that Igot thisdeal/case/jobDon't challengeyourself for fearthat you mightlook bad if youdon't knowsomethingI assume Iwill fall shortso I won't bedisappointedwhen I doIt was afluke. I canonly be thisgood onceI hold backwhenworking witha group orteamI try to be reallypersonable andfriendly so peoplewon't notice ormind if I'm not thatgood.Do not letpeople seeyou workingtoo hardI apologizefor mistakesor for notknowingsomethingI remind othersof how much Idon't know sothey don'texpect toomuchI onlywon/accomplishedbecause therewasn't that muchcompetitionEventuallypeople willrealize thatI'm not thatsmartI panic beforea test orpresentationorperformanceNever let onthat you donot knowhow to dosomethingI assume whenpeople arecomplementingthat they arebeing niceI should beable to domost thingsby myselfI don't tellanyone Ifeel like animpostorIf I can doit, anyonecanI look reallygood on paperbut I don't reallyhave the skills tolive up to mycredentialsI should just"get it" likeeveryonearound meI was probablychosen/hired/admittedbecause of some kindof mistakeFailure isnot anoptionI qualifythings bysaying: "Thismay not beright, but..."I succeededbecause Ihad a lot ofhelpI always sharecredit withothers even ifI did most ofthe workI should feellucky that Igot thisdeal/case/jobDon't challengeyourself for fearthat you mightlook bad if youdon't knowsomethingI assume Iwill fall shortso I won't bedisappointedwhen I doIt was afluke. I canonly be thisgood onceI hold backwhenworking witha group orteamI try to be reallypersonable andfriendly so peoplewon't notice ormind if I'm not thatgood.Do not letpeople seeyou workingtoo hardI apologizefor mistakesor for notknowingsomethingI remind othersof how much Idon't know sothey don'texpect toomuchI onlywon/accomplishedbecause therewasn't that muchcompetitionEventuallypeople willrealize thatI'm not thatsmartI panic beforea test orpresentationorperformanceNever let onthat you donot knowhow to dosomething

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