The Power of the Mind
Like many young people, when he was seventeen Perth-born Jason Blankfield was not sure what he wanted to do with his life. All he knew was, he loved sports. With nothing else of particular interest to him, he decided to enrol into the University of Western Australia and do a degree in Sports Science, and simply see where life would take him. At the ripe old age of 21 he successfully completed his studies and decided that this was the time to make some significant changes in his life. Following in the footsteps of many Jewish young people, he packed his bags, left his home, family and friends, and came to Israel.
Jason Blankfield | Photo: Wings website
In hindsight, making aliya proved to be the best decision that the young Jason had ever made in his entire life. First he enrolled into an Ulpan, a government-sponsored class that teaches Hebrew to all adult immigrants, wherever they have come from. Although Jason did not acquire much more than the basics, it was enough for him to enlist in the army. But Jason being Jason, did not want to serve in a regular unit. A driven sportsman he wanted to serve at the top. After months of preliminary self-training he was accepted into Unit 669, the legendary Special Forces unit of Airborne Search and Rescue. Life in the army was exhausting but fulfilling. It was a tough few years of one physical challenge after another, but his dedication paid off.
“Making aliya proved to be the best decision that the young Jason had ever made in his entire life”
Like most immigrants to Israel, Jason also had his dreams and expectations. Truth be told, “dreaming” is a necessity for anyone who wants to settle here, because life is not quite as rosy as we would like to believe. Israel can be exhilarating but also quite the shell shock. For all the good points of our country, it is brash and tough and the little frustrations of daily life can easily wear people down. This happened to some of Jason’s friends who also left their countries to join the Israeli army. Although they were some of the toughest soldiers out there, some decided to return.
A decorated soldier, Jason knew that earning his wings had already given him the tools he needed to equip people not to give up. Because tough men had returned, he knew that perseverance was not just down to physical strength alone. The mind was key. To understand more he embarked on a journey to understand mental stamina to make a large-scale positive change in society.
The first call was studying Neuro-linguistic Programming which helped him better understand the mental requirements needed for physical performance and general wellbeing. Later he took the plunge and began his own company, Peak State Performance. The company has a unique mission to optimise the performance of not just elite athletes but any Israeli. It employs a specialised training which is based on a combination of science, the body and the power of the mind.
“He is now part of a team which are developing a treatment pioneered in the USA for people suffering from PTSD”
Jason knows that the strengthening of the mind is a crucial key for people to function and live to their full potential. Unstoppable, he is now part of a team which are developing a treatment pioneered in the USA for people suffering from PTSD. Common in soldiers, PTSD is also rampant everywhere in Israel, due to the constant barrage of Hamas rockets, never-ending reserve duty and the general doom of the external threat of annihilation from rogue states.
With his unflinching determination and all that he has learned, Jason’s dream to make a large-scale positive change in society, looks like it is coming true.
