I succeededbecause Ihad a lot ofhelpI assume Iwill fall shortso I won't bedisappointedwhen I doI 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 orpresentationorperformanceI shouldfeel luckythat I gotthis jobI apologizefor mistakesor for notknowingsomethingI try to be reallypersonable andfriendly so peoplewon't notice ormind if I'm not thatgood.I qualifythings bysaying: "Thismay not beright, but..."I don't tellanyone Ifeel like animpostorI assume whenpeople arecomplementingthat they arebeing niceI remind othersof how much Idon't know sothey don'texpect toomuchDo not letpeople seeyou workingtoo hardI hold backwhenworking witha group orteamIt was afluke. I canonly be thisgood onceDon't challengeyourself for fearthat you mightlook bad if youdon't knowsomethingI should beable to domost thingsby myselfFailure isnot anoptionI should just"get it" likeeveryonearound meI was probablychosen/hired/admittedbecause of some kindof mistakeNever let onthat you donot knowhow to dosomethingI onlywon/accomplishedbecause therewasn't that muchcompetitionIf I can doit, anyonecanEventuallypeople willrealize thatI'm not thatsmartI succeededbecause Ihad a lot ofhelpI assume Iwill fall shortso I won't bedisappointedwhen I doI 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 orpresentationorperformanceI shouldfeel luckythat I gotthis jobI apologizefor mistakesor for notknowingsomethingI try to be reallypersonable andfriendly so peoplewon't notice ormind if I'm not thatgood.I qualifythings bysaying: "Thismay not beright, but..."I don't tellanyone Ifeel like animpostorI assume whenpeople arecomplementingthat they arebeing niceI remind othersof how much Idon't know sothey don'texpect toomuchDo not letpeople seeyou workingtoo hardI hold backwhenworking witha group orteamIt was afluke. I canonly be thisgood onceDon't challengeyourself for fearthat you mightlook bad if youdon't knowsomethingI should beable to domost thingsby myselfFailure isnot anoptionI should just"get it" likeeveryonearound meI was probablychosen/hired/admittedbecause of some kindof mistakeNever let onthat you donot knowhow to dosomethingI onlywon/accomplishedbecause therewasn't that muchcompetitionIf I can doit, anyonecanEventuallypeople 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 succeeded because I had a lot of help
  2. I assume I will fall short so I won't be disappointed when I do
  3. I always share credit with others even if I did most of the work
  4. I look really good on paper but I don't really have the skills to live up to my credentials
  5. I panic before a test or presentation or performance
  6. I should feel lucky that I got this job
  7. I apologize for mistakes or for not knowing something
  8. I try to be really personable and friendly so people won't notice or mind if I'm not that good.
  9. I qualify things by saying: "This may not be right, but..."
  10. I don't tell anyone I feel like an impostor
  11. I assume when people are complementing that they are being nice
  12. I remind others of how much I don't know so they don't expect too much
  13. Do not let people see you working too hard
  14. I hold back when working with a group or team
  15. It was a fluke. I can only be this good once
  16. Don't challenge yourself for fear that you might look bad if you don't know something
  17. I should be able to do most things by myself
  18. Failure is not an option
  19. I should just "get it" like everyone around me
  20. I was probably chosen/hired/admitted because of some kind of mistake
  21. Never let on that you do not know how to do something
  22. I only won/accomplished because there wasn't that much competition
  23. If I can do it, anyone can
  24. Eventually people will realize that I'm not that smart