The Paradigm of Success: Your guide to personal success

By John Frame

Personal success comes from taking positive action. Yet not everyone is able to take positive action and therefore they fail to meet their potential in life. Why is that? What is it that stops people from being as sucecssful as they could be? I believe I have the answer to these questions and it is all to do with Paradigms. This is because there is a direct correlation between our paradigms and how we act and behave. By changing our paradigms we immediately change the way we think and act. And because we attract to ourselves what we think about, it is essential we think about, dream about and envision our future. Our paradigms attract what is required to achieve our visions and what make us successful. The Paradigm of Success sets out a journey towrads success through having a powerful visionenergised by action that is synergised by a strong sense of 'why' and 'belief' which are framed by the paradigms. It is a journey of incremental learning that when applied may empower us to make a positive difference in our own lives and in the lives of others.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AUK Authors
• Release date: Nov 12, 2014
• ISBN: 9781785380402

John Frame

John Frame is Professor Emeritus of Systematic Theology and Philosophy at Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando, Florida. He is the author of twenty books, including Systematic Theology (2013), History of Western Philosophy and Theology (2015), and the Theology of Lordship series (four volumes).

Book preview

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Chapter One

Peter had strived to achieve success for as long as he could remember. Yet largely it remained elusive. It certainly had proved much harder to be successful than he ever thought it would be. But why should it be so? When he looked around, he saw others who had been successful with far less effort. So why should he be denied a share of the pie?

He had big ideas and grand aspirations. Why shouldn’t he? Some other folk around him seemed to be successful without really trying. He often asked himself "Why am I not successful? What is it that prevents me achieving my goals and dreams?"

The answers were not forthcoming.

He knew that William Shakespeare was attributed to saying that nothing comes from doing nothing! He understood this intellectually and as a consequence he believed he had done something. Lots of things. He thought he was a man of action! But the results were mostly the same - disappointment.

When a friend told Peter about a wise old man who lived in the forest, Peter was intrigued. This man was reputed to be a font of wisdom and Peter wondered if, possibly, this person could unlock his conundrum. It was certainly worth a try because he desperately wanted to unlock the secret to the question that worried him the most -how does one achieve success?

Determined to find the answer he set off on the journey to seek out the wise old man in the forest. However he soon discovered that the journey was not that easy. There were many obstacles. It proved to be more physically and mentally demanding than he first thought. After a rushed false start leading to dead ends, Peter began to realise that he actually had to plan ahead, to do calculations, to communicate with others along the way and do all this while having to climb steep ravines and traverse difficult valleys.

Interestingly he met many others along his journey. Finding that only a few encouraged him to push on, he was rather surprised how many tried to persuade him to turn back and join them on the path back to were he set off from. Several times along the way, especially after he had stumbled or fallen, bruised and battered, Peter felt the effort maybe more than he was prepared to give. His motivation waned and at those times he seriously contemplated turning back.

When he was hungry and tired, his muscles ached and his foot blistered, he had doubted if he had the capability to push on. Each time he hesitated he managed to find resolve until he believed that he had the physical fortitude and capability to get to the end of his journey. His desire to find the answer was more persuasive than quitting. That surprised him.

Finally, after a long and tiring journey, Peter emerged rather battered and weary from the forest into a beautiful valley with lush green rolling hills and a crisp clear stream rushing down towards a large turquoise blue lake in the far distance. Scanning the scenery he noticed a quaint cottage with smoke drifting lazily upwards from a stone chimney. Now relaxed, he walked along a meandering pathway towards the cottage.

Standing at the wooden door was a man dressed in working clothes. Observing the man’s face was weathered, revealing that his existence had not been easy, his hair silver, long and untidy, Peter approached him. But when their eyes met Peter was taken aback, expelling air from his lungs. Peter saw in the man’s eyes something he had not seen before, but he was unsure exactly what it was.

He hesitated and being unsettled he questioned himself if he had actually done the right thing in coming to this place.

Should I turn back? he thought to himself. Am I going to make a right fool of myself by asking this old man what is the secret to success?

I see you are not sure why you are here young fellow. I have been waiting for you to arrive. The older man spoke crisply with an empathic tone.

The older man held out his hand to Peter and they shook hands. His grip was tight and authoritative.

He led Peter into his cottage, where he offered refreshments which Peter gladly accepted. Once his thirst and hunger was satisfied, Peter started to explain why he had ventured into the forest to find the older man.

You seek the answer to what is the meaning of success, the older man cut him off mid sentence.

How did he know this?

I know this is what you were seeking, ventured the old man. Let me tell you that the answer lies within you, but before we explore this further, I must show you something. It means we need to take another short journey.

Peter groaned.

All I need is now another journey! What I want is the answer. How hard can this be? he wondered

Persuasively the older man indicated for Peter to follow him along a narrow path that led down the valley towards the lake. After the long journey that Peter had already taken he was not that enthusiastic to engage on another venture. He pleaded with the older man for them not to take this additional journey. At first the older man ignored Peter’s plea, but as this persisted, it irritated the older man.

Go then! Go back the way you came. I have already told you the answer you seek is within you. So go! Find it yourself. If you cannot take these last steps so that I can show you something important, something that perhaps will transform your mindset, then maybe you have already found your answer and your destiny. The