Jonathan Malm helps people uncover creative options for their life and their church. He’s the author of Created for More, a 30-day devotional to help you develop a more creative mind. You’ll find him in San Antonio, Texas, roasting his own coffee beans and enjoying life with his Argentine wife, Carolina.

Don’t Read

I’m about to speak heresy. I know I’ll get crucified by some of my peers. But sometimes you need to put the leadership/self development books down. Sometimes you need to stop reading for a bit and explore on your own. So many of us become book and thought junkies. We’re looking for the latest trendy…

The Three Types of Critics

Anytime you attempt something great, you’ll run into critics. Great things challenge the norms and change situations. It’s natural you’ll receive some criticism. But not all criticism is bad. There are actually three types of critics you’ll run into. The key to responding appropriately to criticism is realizing what kind of critic you’re dealing with.…

Tap into Pain

One of your greatest sources of inspiration will be life’s pains. As M. Scott Peck opens his book with, “Life is difficult.” It’s painful. Bad things happen along the way. It’s our responses to those bad things that define who we are. Will we respond well or will be respond badly? It’s easy to suppress the painful…

It’s About People

Creativity is about people. It’s about the way people are affected by the things we do. It’s easy to think that creativity is about doing something that’s never been done before. And there is some truth to that. But no one would ever actually destroy a building by slingshoting birds into it. Just because it’s…

Follow Your Own Advice

Last night I realized I’d been ignoring my own advice. I’ve been breaking my own rules of branding with this very site. I’ve been calling the site “Faking Creativity”–a name that had no brand-able value. Instead I should have been calling it by my extremely unique brand, Jonathan Malm. (I’m pretty sure there are only 5 of…

Visit a Lifestyle

Looking for a quick bit of inspiration? Visit a lifestyle different than your own. Have you noticed Abercrombie and Fitch models rarely get their pictures taken while driving to work, sitting in their cubicle or cooking dinner for their kids? Those scenarios aren’t exactly inspiring. Instead, they’re photographed playing polo, splashing water on each other…