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

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