If I can doit, anyonecanI panic beforea test orpresentationorperformanceI qualifythings bysaying: "Thismay not beright, but..."I assume whenpeople arecomplementingthat they arebeing niceI look reallygood on paperbut I don't reallyhave the skills tolive up to mycredentialsI assume Iwill fall shortso I won't bedisappointedwhen I doDo not letpeople seeyou workingtoo hardI try to be reallypersonable andfriendly so peoplewon't notice ormind if I'm not thatgood.I succeededbecause Ihad a lot ofhelpI remind othersof how much Idon't know sothey don'texpect toomuchEventuallypeople willrealize thatI'm not thatsmartI apologizefor mistakesor for notknowingsomethingI should beable to domost thingsby myselfI should just"get it" likeeveryonearound meI onlywon/accomplishedbecause therewasn't that muchcompetitionI always sharecredit withothers even ifI did most ofthe workI should feellucky that Igot thisdeal/case/jobI hold backwhenworking witha group orteamI don't seemyself astalentedtherefore Iam a fraudI was probablychosen/hired/admittedbecause of some kindof mistakeI don't tellanyone Ifeel like animpostorFailure isnot anoptionDon't challengeyourself for fearthat you mightlook bad if youdon't knowsomethingNever let onthat you donot knowhow to dosomethingIt was afluke. I canonly be thisgood onceIf I can doit, anyonecanI panic beforea test orpresentationorperformanceI qualifythings bysaying: "Thismay not beright, but..."I assume whenpeople arecomplementingthat they arebeing niceI look reallygood on paperbut I don't reallyhave the skills tolive up to mycredentialsI assume Iwill fall shortso I won't bedisappointedwhen I doDo not letpeople seeyou workingtoo hardI try to be reallypersonable andfriendly so peoplewon't notice ormind if I'm not thatgood.I succeededbecause Ihad a lot ofhelpI remind othersof how much Idon't know sothey don'texpect toomuchEventuallypeople willrealize thatI'm not thatsmartI apologizefor mistakesor for notknowingsomethingI should beable to domost thingsby myselfI should just"get it" likeeveryonearound meI onlywon/accomplishedbecause therewasn't that muchcompetitionI always sharecredit withothers even ifI did most ofthe workI should feellucky that Igot thisdeal/case/jobI hold backwhenworking witha group orteamI don't seemyself astalentedtherefore Iam a fraudI was probablychosen/hired/admittedbecause of some kindof mistakeI don't tellanyone Ifeel like animpostorFailure isnot anoptionDon't challengeyourself for fearthat you mightlook bad if youdon't knowsomethingNever let onthat you donot knowhow to dosomethingIt was afluke. I canonly be thisgood once

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.


1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
  1. If I can do it, anyone can
  2. I panic before a test or presentation or performance
  3. I qualify things by saying: "This may not be right, but..."
  4. I assume when people are complementing that they are being nice
  5. I look really good on paper but I don't really have the skills to live up to my credentials
  6. I assume I will fall short so I won't be disappointed when I do
  7. Do not let people see you working too hard
  8. I try to be really personable and friendly so people won't notice or mind if I'm not that good.
  9. I succeeded because I had a lot of help
  10. I remind others of how much I don't know so they don't expect too much
  11. Eventually people will realize that I'm not that smart
  12. I apologize for mistakes or for not knowing something
  13. I should be able to do most things by myself
  14. I should just "get it" like everyone around me
  15. I only won/accomplished because there wasn't that much competition
  16. I always share credit with others even if I did most of the work
  17. I should feel lucky that I got this deal/case/job
  18. I hold back when working with a group or team
  19. I don't see myself as talented therefore I am a fraud
  20. I was probably chosen/hired/admitted because of some kind of mistake
  21. I don't tell anyone I feel like an impostor
  22. Failure is not an option
  23. Don't challenge yourself for fear that you might look bad if you don't know something
  24. Never let on that you do not know how to do something
  25. It was a fluke. I can only be this good once