1. I am not really preparing for CAT or any other exam. Is The CAT Lounge for me ?

Ans. Sure. Anybody involved with any kind of problem-solving activity will benefit from The CAT Lounge. Here, we deal with very generic skills of problem-solving which would apply anywhere. CAT is only the context we are using to express our ideas.

2. How would just solving a few sample problems help me develop mastery ?

Ans. The CAT Lounge “Whacks On The Head” are persistent reminders to you whenever you deviate from the right direction of thought. As you begin to see how minor adjustments in your focus could drastically improve your problem-solving skills, it starts to become a habit and you would start doing it with all your problems even without conscious effort.

3. Some hints may work for some problems just like a fluke. What is the guarantee that these “Whacks On The Head” will be useful everywhere ? What if the problem is of a totally different kind than the ones discussed here ?

Ans. It is like stand-up comedy. A stand-up comedian can provide a humorous and witty perspective to any current event. Does it mean that if that particular event happened in a totally different way (e.g. if just the opposite happened), the stand-up comedian could not turn it into a humorous act ? NO. A stand-up comedian has the skill to provide a humour and witty perspective to ANY event.

Likewise, the “Whacks On The Head” are not specific to any problem. They are persistent reminders to look deeper and deeper into a problem, and as you build this skill, you will find it useful with ANY problem – even problems in your day to day lives, jobs – just about ANYTHING !!!

4.Okay !!! got it !!! I need to look at the problem statements more deeply. Now that I know it, I will do it whenever I solve a problem next time. Why do I need to go through the CATLounge sessions ?

We, human beings, are creatures of habit. Knowing something is important as a first step, but we need to practise it under proper guidance before it becomes a natural habit. Otherwise, it is easier to get carried away with the older habits.

5. A problem can be solved in several ways. I want to solve the problems differently than mentioned here. The whacks may get confusing.

The whacks only serve the purpose of inviting you to look more deeply into the problem. A specific solution doesn’t matter. As long as the intended purpose of getting you to dig deeply into the problem statement is achieved, the “whack” would be considered successful.

6. As I go through the sessions, I feel very frustrated at times to realize that I was struggling so much with the problem that could have been solved so easily. What do I do ?

How you react to your experience with CATLounge will greatly affect how much you can benefit from it.

The common notion of being not so efficient at problem-solving ascribes it to the reason - - “I am not sharp enough”.

The CATLounge experience boils it down to a simple reason – “I am not digging sufficiently deep into the problem statement”.

Which do you think is the reason more likely to be improved upon ? We don’t know of ANY way to make an individual sharper; but we can train an individual in being able to dig sufficiently deep into the problem statement.

The CATLounge experience brings a GOOD NEWS for all of us – we can be many many more times efficient at problem solving by focusing more attention to the problem statement and digging deep into all the information contained in the problem. This is something that can definitely be mastered by practice.

Your current skill level is the product of yesterday. Feeling frustrated about it will not better it tomorrow. Knowing that there is a way, well within your reach, to be a much more efficient you tomorrow is really good news !!!