Meet Eric Hawkins

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Eric Hawkins a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Eric, so great to have you with us and we want to jump right into a really important question. In recent years, it’s become so clear that we’re living through a time where so many folks are lacking self-confidence and self-esteem. So, we’d love to hear about your journey and how you developed your self-confidence and self-esteem.

Growing up on a farm in Virginia Beach, Virginia, gave me more than just skills—it built my confidence. My father, Edmon Hawkins , was a farmer and a hard worker. He made sure we were capable of handling all the responsibilities the farm demanded, which often involved tasks that required real trust and courage. He believed in building confidence through action.

One hot day, he called me outside, and there it was: the tractor, engine running, with a small trailer hitched to the back. I’d been riding on that tractor with him for years, through every season. I knew every lever, every switch. But this time was different—this time, I was to be in control.

“All right, boy,” he said, a big smile on his face, “you’re gonna learn to drive the tractor today.”

I was only 11 years old, but he gave me the kind of instructions that made me feel like I could do it. after he finished, give me all his instructions. He gave me this last gem. “If you get into trouble, just turn the key off,” he said. He didn’t burden me with unnecessary details; he trusted me with the basics. With a nervous breath, I pulled the throttle and started moving, not more than 2 or 3 miles per hour. But then I started feeling the power under me, and soon enough, I was going 5 miles per hour around that field.

As I did my laps, my father stood in the middle, watching me closely. I saw him signaling, giving me encouragement, telling me to give it a little more gas. By lap three, I felt like I had it under control, and by the time I reached lap five, he signaled me to bring it in.

Now came the real test: he stood directly in front of the tractor and motioned for me to keep coming. Closer and closer, 30 feet, 20 feet, 10 feet—until I stopped just 5 feet in front of him.
Oh my God, I knew it this piece of machinery could do and I could easily ran them over but he felt like I had the machine under control and that’s why he motion me to stop within 5 feet from in front of him give himself plenty of room to move out of the way if he needed to . But from my vantage point it didn’t look like that. It felt a lot closer. But he felt I had control. I felt a rush of pride, but also nerves. This wasn’t just about driving a tractor; it was about proving to myself that I could do something bigger than I ever thought possible.

But then came the surprise. My father waved to my brothers and cousins, who had been watching the whole time. “All right boys, climb up in the back of the wagon. He’s gonna give you a ride.”

Wait—what? No one told me that part. My heart dropped into my stomach, but my father’s confidence in me was unshakable. “Take it slow, 5 miles an hour,” he said. And then, just as I was about to go, I heard my mother shouting, “Buddy! You sure you’re gonna let him do this?”

Without missing a beat, my father responded, “If I don’t show this boy I trust him, he won’t trust himself.” My mother, understanding the lesson at hand, stood down.

So, he turned to me and said l, all right boy you gonna give me five laps take it slow to start. One lap, then two, and as I turned my head, I saw my father walking away, leaving me to finish the job on my own. He sat by the garage, watching me from afar. By the time I finished lap five, he waved to me to bring the tractor back in, with my brother and cousins safely in the back. I felt like a king. My father looked at me as though I had just conquered the world.

That moment—that trust—stayed with me. My father believed in me before I could fully believe in myself, and that shaped who I am. Confidence comes from knowing that someone you look up to believes in your abilities, even when you might not. My dad taught me that if he could trust me, I could trust myself, and that lesson has never left me.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

“I own a Tiny House hotel and teach people how to generate income with Short Term Rentals. I help those who feel stuck in their current situation transition to tiny living, giving them the freedom to live the life they’ve always wanted.”

A new book and a series of e-books are coming shortly

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Being flexible, blessed is the man who is flexible for a shout, not be bent out of shape

Not believing the lie of thinking outside of the box, my parents taught me a long time ago in order to think outside the box you literally have to put yourself in one. Once you put yourself in the box, you limit the directions that your thoughts can flow up for backwards left, right. When you realize that there is no Box, your thoughts, your movements are unrestricted and can move in multiple directions at the same time and you could achieve things that most people only dream of.

Never asking God for things, ask him for the wisdom to acquire those things. Solomon was the richest man in the Bible. He never asked for riches he asked for wisdom.

Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?

My wife, I was blessed to marry a woman who is strong in all the areas that I’m weak. This is how I know in many many different ways that she is my true soulmate because she has those talents. She is helping me grow in areas. I never knew I could grow in.

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