What if a single moment, one unexpected knock at your door, changed your life forever?

That’s exactly what happened to Chancellor K. Jackson, a former college football player turned educator, coach, and best-selling author. In this powerful episode of The Jeff Robertson Show, Chancellor opens up about the night he was arrested in China and the 14 days he spent locked in a Beijing jail. With no explanation, no legal representation, and no one knowing where he was, he had to rely entirely on inner strength, accountability, and faith.

From Athlete to Author

Before Chancellor was a writer, he was a grinder.

Raised in Smyrna, Georgia, he came late to football, starting in the eighth grade, but clawed his way into a college roster at Stetson University through sheer will and determination. With no recruiters chasing him, he personally marketed himself to schools, eventually earning his spot and playing four years at the D1-AA level.

That same self-drive followed him after graduation. After months of rejection from corporate jobs, he took a leap of faith and accepted a position teaching English in China. Life abroad was exciting and meaningful… until it wasn’t.

Locked Up in Beijing

April 4, 2019. Pre-gaming before a night out, Chancellor’s apartment door was knocked on by three Beijing officers. Within minutes, he was arrested for a failed drug test and taken into custody. He would spend the next 14 days in a Chinese jail, completely cut off from the outside world, surrounded by strangers, and with no idea when or if he’d be released.

What got him through?

Accountability and perspective.

He didn’t blame anyone. He didn’t spiral. He told himself to take note of every detail because “this is going to be a story one day.”

And it was.

From Isolation to Inspiration

Upon returning home, Chancellor began telling friends about his experience, and every time, jaws hit the floor. That’s when he knew: this wasn’t just his story, it was a message. With encouragement from a friend and fellow author, he began to write.

The result:
14 Days in Beijing, a book that has ranked #1 on Amazon over 15 times across multiple genres.

But the journey didn’t stop with the book.

Chancellor now helps other aspiring authors do the same, turning personal experiences into published stories that matter. He’s also an educator and high school football coach, helping guide young men on the field and off, passing along the mindset lessons he had to learn the hard way.

Lessons from the Episode

  • Start late, grind harder. Chancellor didn’t play organized football until eighth grade and still made it to college ball.
  • Write your own ticket. No one came to save him. He built his future with his own hands and voice.
  • Pain can be purpose. His lowest point became the foundation for a book, a brand, and a mission.
  • Mindset is the separator. From jail to bestseller, his only constant was inner resolve.
  • Every story matters. Chancellor’s not just telling his. He’s helping others tell theirs.

🎧 Listen to the Episode

Available now on Spotify, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms.

📚 Explore Chancellor Jackson’s Work

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