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