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

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