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

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