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

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