I always sharecredit withothers even ifI did most ofthe workI succeededbecause Ihad a lot ofhelpEventuallypeople willrealize thatI'm not thatsmartDo not letpeople seeyou workingtoo hardI should feellucky that Igot thisdeal/case/jobI bettersign upfor morethingsI should beable to domost thingsby myselfI qualifythings bysaying: "Thismay not beright, but..."I assume whenpeople arecomplimentingthat they arebeing niceI was probablychosenbecause ofsome kind ofmistakeIt was afluke. I canonly be thisgood onceIf I can doit, anyonecanDon't challengeyourself for fearthat you mightlook bad if youdon't knowsomethingPeople thinkI'm smarterthan I reallyamI apologizefor mistakesor for notknowingsomethingI should just"get it" likeeveryonearound meI remind othersof how much Idon't know sothey don'texpect toomuchI hold backwhenworking witha group orteamI onlywon/accomplishedbecause therewasn't that muchcompetitionFailure isnot anoptionI don't tellanyone Ifeel like animpostorI look reallygood on paperbut I don't reallyhave the skills tolive up to mycredentialsI assume Iwill fall shortso I won't bedisappointedwhen I doNever let onthat you donot knowhow to dosomething"This is asillyquestion..."I preferpeople tounderestimatemeI don't knowenoughenough aboutdiversity, whyam I here?I try to be reallypersonable andfriendly so peoplewon't notice ormind if I'm not thatgood.I panic beforea test orpresentationorperformanceI always sharecredit withothers even ifI did most ofthe workI succeededbecause Ihad a lot ofhelpEventuallypeople willrealize thatI'm not thatsmartDo not letpeople seeyou workingtoo hardI should feellucky that Igot thisdeal/case/jobI bettersign upfor morethingsI should beable to domost thingsby myselfI qualifythings bysaying: "Thismay not beright, but..."I assume whenpeople arecomplimentingthat they arebeing niceI was probablychosenbecause ofsome kind ofmistakeIt was afluke. I canonly be thisgood onceIf I can doit, anyonecanDon't challengeyourself for fearthat you mightlook bad if youdon't knowsomethingPeople thinkI'm smarterthan I reallyamI apologizefor mistakesor for notknowingsomethingI should just"get it" likeeveryonearound meI remind othersof how much Idon't know sothey don'texpect toomuchI hold backwhenworking witha group orteamI onlywon/accomplishedbecause therewasn't that muchcompetitionFailure isnot anoptionI don't tellanyone Ifeel like animpostorI look reallygood on paperbut I don't reallyhave the skills tolive up to mycredentialsI assume Iwill fall shortso I won't bedisappointedwhen I doNever let onthat you donot knowhow to dosomething"This is asillyquestion..."I preferpeople tounderestimatemeI don't knowenoughenough aboutdiversity, whyam I here?I try to be reallypersonable andfriendly so peoplewon't notice ormind if I'm not thatgood.I panic beforea test orpresentationorperformance

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