I panic beforea test orpresentationorperformanceDo not letpeople seeyou workingtoo hardI should feellucky that Igot thisdeal/case/jobNever let onthat you donot knowhow to dosomethingI remind othersof how much Idon't know sothey don'texpect toomuchI onlywon/accomplishedbecause therewasn't that muchcompetitionDon't challengeyourself for fearthat you mightlook bad if youdon't knowsomethingI should just"get it" likeeveryonearound meIf I can doit, anyonecanI hold backwhenworking witha group orteamI succeededbecause Ihad a lot ofhelpI don't tellanyone Ifeel like animpostorI was probablychosen/hired/admittedbecause of some kindof mistakeI assume Iwill fall shortso I won't bedisappointedwhen I doIt was afluke. I canonly be thisgood onceI try to be reallypersonable andfriendly so peoplewon't notice ormind if I'm not thatgood.I should beable to domost thingsby myselfI look reallygood on paperbut I don't reallyhave the skills tolive up to mycredentialsI always sharecredit withothers even ifI did most ofthe workI apologizefor mistakesor for notknowingsomethingI assume whenpeople arecomplementingthat they arebeing niceI qualifythings bysaying: "Thismay not beright, but..."Eventuallypeople willrealize thatI'm not thatsmartFailure isnot anoptionI panic beforea test orpresentationorperformanceDo not letpeople seeyou workingtoo hardI should feellucky that Igot thisdeal/case/jobNever let onthat you donot knowhow to dosomethingI remind othersof how much Idon't know sothey don'texpect toomuchI onlywon/accomplishedbecause therewasn't that muchcompetitionDon't challengeyourself for fearthat you mightlook bad if youdon't knowsomethingI should just"get it" likeeveryonearound meIf I can doit, anyonecanI hold backwhenworking witha group orteamI succeededbecause Ihad a lot ofhelpI don't tellanyone Ifeel like animpostorI was probablychosen/hired/admittedbecause of some kindof mistakeI assume Iwill fall shortso I won't bedisappointedwhen I doIt was afluke. I canonly be thisgood onceI try to be reallypersonable andfriendly so peoplewon't notice ormind if I'm not thatgood.I should beable to domost thingsby myselfI look reallygood on paperbut I don't reallyhave the skills tolive up to mycredentialsI always sharecredit withothers even ifI did most ofthe workI apologizefor mistakesor for notknowingsomethingI assume whenpeople arecomplementingthat they arebeing niceI qualifythings bysaying: "Thismay not beright, but..."Eventuallypeople willrealize thatI'm not thatsmartFailure 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 panic before a test or presentation or performance
  2. Do not let people see you working too hard
  3. I should feel lucky that I got this deal/case/job
  4. Never let on that you do not know how to do something
  5. I remind others of how much I don't know so they don't expect too much
  6. I only won/accomplished because there wasn't that much competition
  7. Don't challenge yourself for fear that you might look bad if you don't know something
  8. I should just "get it" like everyone around me
  9. If I can do it, anyone can
  10. I hold back when working with a group or team
  11. I succeeded because I had a lot of help
  12. I don't tell anyone I feel like an impostor
  13. I was probably chosen/hired/admitted because of some kind of mistake
  14. I assume I will fall short so I won't be disappointed when I do
  15. It was a fluke. I can only be this good once
  16. I try to be really personable and friendly so people won't notice or mind if I'm not that good.
  17. I should be able to do most things by myself
  18. I look really good on paper but I don't really have the skills to live up to my credentials
  19. I always share credit with others even if I did most of the work
  20. I apologize for mistakes or for not knowing something
  21. I assume when people are complementing that they are being nice
  22. I qualify things by saying: "This may not be right, but..."
  23. Eventually people will realize that I'm not that smart
  24. Failure is not an option