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

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