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