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

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