You can take someone as an example, and you can learn from someone, and you can imitate someone, and you can pattern yourself after someone, or take someone as a role model, or make someone your mentor.

To take someone for example. Footballers are overpaid, Take David Beckham for example, he's an idiot but he earns lots of money.

'example' can have several meanings, and it's not clear exactly which one you mean. Do you mean 'take the example of' eg Many great men come from humble origins. Take the example of Robert Jones. He was born in a poor Welsh mining village ... This is similar to the meaning which GuideDogSaint has given. Or do you mean 'example' in the sense of following someone's example - as in the 'role model' idea which Alan has explained? If you can give us the context, then maybe we can help a bit more.