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

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