At the end of the 46 days I was able to enjoy having the Green & Blacks Dark Chocolate Easter Egg from my wife, but I didn't feel the urge to binge on sugary foods. I've returned to having most sweet things ... but perhaps not as much as before.

As mentioned in a previous blog, I found it interesting that I didn't need a lot of willpower.

Most of us would recognise that having to apply a lot of willpower suggests an internal struggle between aspects of ourselves. I've recently learned that this has been proven to deplete our mental, emotional and physical reserves.

The voice of temptation starts up: "Those are really good quality truffles, you love them and you've been really good so far, so go on just have one. Nobody need know!"

Now I have to admit that I went very close to "sneaking" one!

But who am I trying to fool? And why am I doing this whole Lent thing anyway? Nobody else really gives a damn whether I do it or not.

The whole purpose is to demonstrate to myself that I can rise above the temptation.

If I "cheat", then the only person I'm really letting down is me!

Having made the decision to give up sugary food for Lent, I experienced the power of clarity and it was very liberating.

Normally, I would have had a brief tussle between two internal voices.

One would be like a small demanding child saying, "I want to have that!"

The other would be the controlling parent saying, "I shouldn't have that and I don't really need it"

More often than not, the needy demanding child within would win the battle.

I grew up in a family that followed the tenets of Christianity. I recall my dad once giving up meat for Lent (a big step for an Australian farmer who had a plentiful supply of quality fresh beef and lamb!).

If you want to know more, take a look at http://www.crowdcube.com/infographic I love the way they've made investing and raising capital much simpler for people and I hope they go from strength to strength. I say that because I love the concept (and also because I have invested in them myself!)

Stanford Psychologist Carol Dweck noticed the difference between a "fixed mindset" and a "growth mindset". Now people may vary in their innate abilities and potential, but which of these mindsets they choose can have a huge impact.

People with a fixed mindset assume their capabilities are already set. They therefore place a limit on themselves and will miss opportunities.

Those with a growth mindset recognise that application and experience enables them to achieve more in life. And so they usually do!

At first I thought not many of us had been invited which I felt simply reinforces the problem of a lack of shared understanding and lack of commitment to change. It turned out that many men had been invited but hadn't turned up.

Does that suggest they are less concerned? After all, it doesn't impact their lives.

Or does it?

Dyson convincingly argues with powerful data that the banking crisis and government bailout has serious implications for society and for the next generation. It is interesting that legislation around control of the printing of money was created long before the digital age. Most money today is digital, not paper and metal. This means private banks can legally produce more money at an accelerating pace and create instability as we've seen recently.

If you have teenage children you know that they can start to get more expensive.

We were keen to see James start doing some part time work. Not just to give him some extra money but to help him: (1) gain experience working with others to create value in exchange for payment (2) appreciate the value of money (3) build confidence in his capacity to go out to work.

James was interested in getting some part time work (especially as some of his friends have started part time jobs while they study) but was perhaps a little fearful of the unknown and/or rejection, like many of us are.

I must confess I was unaware of how King George VI (father of Queen Elizabeth II) had to overcome his affliction of stammering, particularly after his brother Edward VIII abdicated from the throne, leaving George with no alternative but to step into the crucial figurehead role when Britain was entering World War II.

Childhood trauma carried into adult life was clearly a factor behind his afflication and it was the unorthodox methods of an ex-actor from Australia, Lionel Logue, that helped prepare him physically and mentally for leadership and speaking powerfully.