Fear of failure. Fear of disease. Fear of losing someone important. Fear of rejection. Fear of pain. People are surrounded by fear, which has been the case since the time of cave dwellers. Many of our most vivid memories are etched into our minds laden with fear. Fear makes people uncomfortable and makes them want to run back into their comfort zones. It is an emotion that triggers a flight or fight response in the brain, and fleeing is the most common response. Many people lose their way and can spend an eternity living by their fears, which considerably reduces their performance in both personal and professional life. It inevitably takes away their ability to take risks and reach for better opportunities.
Most of the world’s population spends time searching for motivation externally. Some people look for mentors, while others look for inspiration, typically unaware of the fact that true motivation tends to come from within and no external power can help. The world needs to know that fear can be a helpful tool and catalyst to help people take bold steps toward significance and success in their lives.
There are few examples in the world where people actually use their fears to fulfil their dreams. Out of these, an example worth mentioning is that of recording artist, FINLAY. Paige Finlay Yim, professionally known as FINLAY (pronounced /fin-LEE/), is a rising star in the pop music industry. In 2012, young Paige, fell victim to a life-altering incident where a bull shark attacked her. While on the verge of giving up on her life, a realization in the midst of recovering enlightened her, eventually turning young Paige into the well-known singer and songwriter, FINLAY.
Fears are the End of Search for True Motivation
Born on April 3, 1991, Paige grew up in Houston, the largest metropolitan city in Texas. She was passionate about music since her childhood and fond of performing in front of an audience. Paige was just six years old when she started playing the piano. From this musical jumping-off point, she stepped into singing and songwriting in her teenage years. It was during this time that young FINLAY began exploring pop music with support from her parents. Young Paige had big dreams for herself as she wanted to become a prominent entertainer. To pursue her career in entertainment, she went to California in 2009 to complete her education in film & media production. During her time in Los Angeles, she worked as an actress in teen television.
FINLAY is a die-hard World Surf League fan and fond of the water-sport. However, it was on a trip in the Gulf of Mexico in 2012 that she was caught up in a near-deadly shark attack. She was on her way to becoming a top performer in the entertainment sector, but this incident served as a major setback. Doctors delivered a piece of shocking news that she had less than a 50% survival rate and of keeping her left leg from amputation. She was on the verge of giving up. All she could think about was what it would be like to perform limbless on stage in front of audiences.
She quickly regained control of her emotions, broke free from her fear, and responded phenomenally well to her recovery, citing her faith in God as her ultimate strength. Paige did not let her passion die, and she was determined to make it to the top. Just seven days after the attack, Paige was discharged from the hospital with her left leg still intact. This radical turn of events in her life could have been the end of her dreams fulfilled, but fear was ultimately the means to the end of her search for true motivation. Finally, in 2017, she released her debut single, “TIDES” (released March 3, 2017) and secured an opening tour spot for Capitol Records’ Nikyee Heaton in Austin, Texas.
Establishing a Strong Career in the Music Industry
The release of her first single laid the ground for her success in the music industry. She then self-directed the Official Music Video for ‘TIDES,’ shot in the Hawaiian Islands by commercial surf industry team, Rubias Collective. It was a survivor’s song that highlighted her unique point-of-view. The tale of a warrior really was the perfect introduction of FINLAY to the music industry. Her debut single, catchy pop melodies and beautiful scenic visuals, caught the attention of many people around the globe. With ‘TIDES,’ FINLAY aimed to spread a strong message about “what it means to break through personal fear with deep confidence & feminine strength.”
After the overwhelmingly positive response from her audience, FINLAY was featured in NPR’s Annual SXSW Artist to Watch program in 2018. The program referred to her music as “fizzily insistent pop brim[ming] over with a sense of joy worthy of Carly Rae Jepsen.” Atwood Magazine described FINLAY’s debut single as “an inspiring tale of a survivor…[an] intoxicating celebration of life.”
Her success skyrocketed when she co-wote and sang on the EDM track “Memories” in 2018 by artist and producer, NATIVE, garnering over 15 million streams to date, which was followed by the release of another single, “lovesick.” Her mark in the music industry was made when she released “bones” in 2020. Some of the other releases that helped her achieve success include “edge of mine” and “deep end.” On April 22, 2020, her debut EP, “edge of mine,” sent shockwaves of success through the entertainment industry. The EP, consisting of five songs, was independently released. This record was followed by yet another collaborative effort with producer, NATIIVE, in 2021. “Reset,” the headlining single, peaked on the Apple Music Canadian Pop Charts at No. 24 in addition to other top 100 spots on the global charts in 2021.
Paige is professionally known as FINLAY (her middle name) meaning “small blonde soldier” in Gaelic, of which she hails of Irish origin. Her story is inspiring as there are only a few people who can get back on their feet after a life-altering incident. She came too close to death; even then, she did not give up on her dreams. Instead, she used her fear to establish her passion as a career. The world needs to understand that when fear triggers their fight or flight responses, they must always choose to fight, just as FINLAY did.
