The Hidden Power of Purpose
Nation of Artists
Elliot Kotek, the co-founder of Nation of Artists, a creative agency and production company, delves into the purpose-driven world with a unique blend of creativity and impact. In an exclusive conversation, Kotek shed light on the ethos behind his company and his compelling documentary project, ‘The Hidden Power of Purpose,‘ created in collaboration with AARP, which recently screened at the prestigious Newport Beach Film Festival.
‘The Hidden Power of Purpose’ is a documentary project exploring purpose’s profound impact on individuals’ lives. “The Hidden Power of Purpose introduces us to four incredible people, each of whom took a different pathway to a life filled with meaning – one found their purpose from their career, one through their family upbringing, one through spirituality, and the last found his purpose because of a senseless tragedy,” Kotek explained.
Blended through and between these individual’s stories are conversations with experts – psychologists, cancer researchers, brain scientists, genomics experts, psychiatrists, and neurosurgeons – about the effect that a sense of purpose has on our brains and our bodies, and which yields undeniable evidence that ‘purpose’ is as vital to humans as diet or exercise.
As for the origin story of how this project came to be – AARP has hosted an annual Purpose Prize ceremony since 2018, recognizing five founders each year who are creating a better future for us all. The award comes with a significant donation to their non-profits.
Elliot Kotek, the co-founder of Nation of Artists
Nation of Artists
“For obvious reasons, during the pandemic, AARP couldn’t hold a large gala event to honor these difference-makers, so they came to me to put together a documentary that furthered the ethos of the Purpose Prize, and also explored the new and significant science behind purpose,” Kotek shared insight how this project emerged.
The goal of the documentary is really to show or remind people that there is no limitation to the paths you might take to find your purpose, that purpose can be recognized at any age, and that you should feel empowered to redefine your purpose as life takes you on its journey.
The project features many heroes and experts featured in ‘The Hidden Power of Purpose.’ From Sandy Hook Promise co-founder Mark Barden, Latino U College Access founder Shirley Acevedo Buontempo to Grammy nominee and founder of U.S. Dream Academy Wintley Phipps and Karen Cassidy, a lifelong nurse who opened a hospice in Louisville, Kentucky, for people without family to live out their final weeks with dignity, the documentary weaves a tapestry of diverse stories.
The expert lineup includes Dr. Todd Kashdan, who co-authored the clinical definition of ‘purpose,’ CNN’s Dr. Sanjay Gupta, bridging medicine and media, and Dr. Michelle Carlson, delving into the neurological aspects of purpose. Others, like Anthony Burrow, Leigh Pearce, Vic Strecher, Dr. Steve Cole, Deepak Chopra, and Dr. Dilip Jeste, contribute diverse expertise, enriching the documentary’s exploration. Narrated by Debbie Allen, the film weaves together these unique narratives and profound insights, showcasing the transformative potential of purpose across various dimensions of human experience.
Kotek reflected on the wealth of insights gained during the documentary’s creation, “Of course, the documentary is only about an hour long – but I personally benefited from a hundred hours of conversations with the people in the documentary and the other amazing who took my calls and emails during the research phase.”
Being all in on purpose, he narrowed them down to three key takeaways:
Behavior vs. Motivators
One critical statement that resonated deeply was something he heard from Dr. Michelle Carlson, head of the Carlson Lab (aka The Brain Lab) at Johns Hopkins. Dr Carlson distilled for him the difference between behaviors and motivators, “As a society, we spend a lot of time talking about our behaviors, like diets and exercises, but we really should spend more time exploring and discussing our motivators – because when we’re motivated; when we’re living with a sense of purpose; when we have something we find meaningful, we’re more likely to get up and move our bodies to go do that thing, and more likely to eat at intervals to fuel that endeavor. So, if we focus on a motivator, like purpose, the benefits are greater as it leads us toward better behaviors!”
Purpose for All
In his second ‘insight’ Kotek shared, “Identifying a purpose is not just for those with enough time or resources to pursue it. And, in fact, the benefits of living with purpose, such as greater resilience, a decrease in inflammation in the body, and an increase in the production of antibodies, maybe even more vital for those from historically under-served communities who often face additional stressors related to financial hurdles, racial bias, education and opportunity gaps, physical access limitations, etc.
Purpose vs. Happiness
A third note is that seeking purpose shouldn’t be confused with pursuing happiness. “Sure, feeling like you’re living a life of meaning and doing the things aligned with your purpose might make you happy, but the biological and mental benefits of purpose seem to come from doing things where you feel most engaged, most interested, most useful, most aligned… and that the biggest payoffs seem to be aligned to pursuits that benefit people beyond our own selves,” he explained.
‘The Hidden Power of Purpose’ is set to make a significant impact with its distribution on Amazon Prime Video, Google Play, and AppleTV, available for streaming from November 23. AARP provides a dedicated platform for those interested in hosting screenings or discussions around the film, and Elliot Kotek welcomes direct outreach on LinkedIn.
Nation of Artists prides itself on being a creative agency and production company singularly dedicated to impact and innovation. Kotek, with a keen eye for collaboration, emphasized the importance of working with other agencies, “We live for and love the spirit of collaboration, often work on projects with other marketing, communications, and advertising agencies that showcase the best relationships between public and private organizations, and have quietly amassed the most incredibly meaningful experiences for forward-thinking clients over the past decade.” The agency’s diverse portfolio spans from campaign slogans and anthem videos to docu-series and feature documentaries.
As the documentary unfolds on major streaming platforms, Nation of Artists, under the guidance of Elliot Kotek, invites viewers to explore the transformative potential of purpose in shaping lives.
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