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