Book excerpt: In The Strong Mind, author Ryuho Okawa presents a self-transformative perspective on life’s hardships and chal-lenges as precious opportunities for our inner growth. No matter what your circumstances or how slow your prog-ress may seem, you will develop the strength of character to rise above the limitations that each stage of life can bring. With this book as your guide, life’s challenges will become treasures that bring lasting and continuous enrichment for your soul. This book will introduce you to the five mental attitudes you need to achieve a strong mind: 1. RESILIENCE: the mental toughness that empowers you to bounce back from adversity 2. STOUTNESS: the courage to stand up for and strive to realize what you believe in your heart 3. INNER MATURITY: a heart that acknowledges the diverse views and perspectives of people 4. INNER RICHNESS: a noble spirit founded on a strong sense of duty, responsibility, fairness, and generosity 5. INNER STRENGTH: an unwavering spirit that lets you remain calm and staunch Author Ryuho Okawa’s approach to true inner strength shows us that while we hold the potential to achieve material accomplishments in this world, we can also cultivate inner strength, achieve personal growth, and develop our souls, no matter what difficulties, misfortunes, or sorrows may come our way. The key to this transfomation is to face each new challenge with a spiritual mindset: we must approach both our negative and our positive life experiences as precious training for our eternal souls. Let Okawa’s positive and constructive view of life’s tragedies and hardships help you open your path to lasting and meaningful triumph for your life and your purpose in this world.