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

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