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

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.


1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
  1. I apologize for mistakes or for not knowing something
  2. I panic before a test or presentation or performance
  3. I look really good on paper but I don't really have the skills to live up to my credentials
  4. I remind others of how much I don't know so they don't expect too much
  5. I should be able to do most things by myself
  6. I succeeded because I had a lot of help
  7. I don't tell anyone I feel like an impostor
  8. I assume when people are complimenting me they are being nice
  9. I qualify things by saying: "This may not be right, but..."
  10. If I can do it, anyone can
  11. Failure is not an option
  12. I should feel lucky that I got this score
  13. I only won/accomplished because there wasn't that much competition
  14. I was probably chosen/admitted because of some kind of mistake
  15. I should just "get it" like everyone around me
  16. I try to be really personable and friendly so people won't notice or mind if I'm not that good.
  17. Do not let people see you working too hard
  18. Never let on that you do not know how to do something
  19. I hold back when working with a group or team
  20. I always share credit with others even if I did most of the work
  21. Eventually people will realize that I'm not that smart
  22. I assume I will fall short so I won't be disappointed when I do
  23. Don't challenge yourself for fear that you might look bad if you don't know something
  24. It was a fluke. I can only be this good once