I panic beforea test orpresentationorperformanceDon't challengeyourself for fearthat you mightlook bad if youdon't knowsomethingFailure isnot anoptionNever leton thatyou don'tknowI assume whenpeople arecomplimentingthat they arebeing niceI was probablyselectedbecause ofsome kind ofmistakeI don'tknow whyI'm hereI should beable to domost thingsby myselfI 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..."If I can doit, anyonecanIt was afluke. I canonly be thisgood onceI shouldfeel luckythat I gotthis jobI should just"get it" likeeveryonearound meI try to be reallypersonable andfriendly so peoplewon't notice ormind if I'm not thatgood.I apologizefor mistakesor for notknowingsomethingpeople willrealize thatI'm not thatsmartI onlywon/accomplishedbecause therewasn't that muchcompetitionDo not letpeople seeyou workingtoo hardI succeededbecause Ihad a lot ofhelpI don't tellanyone Ifeel like animpostorI always sharecredit withothers even ifI did most ofthe workI remind othersof how much Idon't know sothey don'texpect toomuchI panic beforea test orpresentationorperformanceDon't challengeyourself for fearthat you mightlook bad if youdon't knowsomethingFailure isnot anoptionNever leton thatyou don'tknowI assume whenpeople arecomplimentingthat they arebeing niceI was probablyselectedbecause ofsome kind ofmistakeI don'tknow whyI'm hereI should beable to domost thingsby myselfI 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..."If I can doit, anyonecanIt was afluke. I canonly be thisgood onceI shouldfeel luckythat I gotthis jobI should just"get it" likeeveryonearound meI try to be reallypersonable andfriendly so peoplewon't notice ormind if I'm not thatgood.I apologizefor mistakesor for notknowingsomethingpeople willrealize thatI'm not thatsmartI onlywon/accomplishedbecause therewasn't that muchcompetitionDo not letpeople seeyou workingtoo hardI succeededbecause Ihad a lot ofhelpI don't tellanyone Ifeel like animpostorI always sharecredit withothers even ifI did most ofthe workI remind othersof how much Idon't know sothey don'texpect toomuch

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