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

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