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

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