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

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