About eighteen months ago, actor and musician Jamie Foxx got sick. Like really sick. He was rushed to the hospital with “life threatening” injuries and fans plus the media alike all were left to pray and speculate about the mysterious cause of his illness.
Meanwhile, his family and friends kept quiet about it – refusing to share details and declining all interviews. Of course, the media and Internet filled the void with lots of baseless conspiracy theories (it was a hit job from Diddy!) Still, the family stayed quiet.
Now Foxx has released a new documentary/comedy special on Netflix aptly titled “Jamie Foxx: What Had Happened Was” where he talks in detail about the life threatening illness, how poor decisions from one doctor nearly cost him his life and how he recovered from the “worst year of his life” with the help of his family.
It’s a great story – but an even better lesson for all of us about what we do or don’t owe to anyone else online. This isn’t about celebrities; it’s about setting your own boundaries around what you choose to share and how public you choose to be. You don’t owe anyone an explanation for what you are going through, and you don’t have to live every private moment in public. Reading how Foxx and his family dealt with his illness and how they are now sharing this story publicly on their own terms is a masterclass in personal brand management and self-care. This is what focusing on what’s most important really looks like.
