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

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