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

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